FistfulofSand

&

TheLightofDiscernment

theTeachingsof

PhraAjaanSuwatSuvaco

(PhraBodhidhammācariyaThera)

translatedfromtheThaibyṬhānissaroBhikkhu

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copyright1999&2002ṭhānissarobhikkhu,revisedsecondedition2011ThisworkislicensedundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution-NonCommercial4.0Unported.Toseeacopyofthislicensevisithttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.“Commercial”shallmeananysale,whetherforcommercialornon-profitpurposesorentities.

questionsaboutthisbookmaybeaddressedtoMettaForestMonasteryValleyCenter,CA92082-1409U.S.A.

additionalresourcesMoreDhammatalks,booksandtranslationsbyṬhānissaroBhikkhuareavailabletodownloadindigitalaudioandvariousebookformatsatdhammatalks.org.

printedcopyApaperbackcopyofthisbookisavailablefreeofcharge.Torequestone,writeto:BookRequest,MettaForestMonastery,POBox1409,ValleyCenter,CA92082USA.

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INTRODUCTION

INTHESUMMEROF1989,LarryRosenberg—oneoftheguidingteachersattheInsightMeditationSociety(IMS)inBarre,Massachusetts—invitedPhraAjaanSuwatSuvacotoleadatwo-weekretreatatIMSthefollowingspring.AjaanSuwathadbeenlivingintheUnitedStatesforseveralyearsatthatpoint,foundingmonasteriesfortheThaicommunitiesintheSeattleandLosAngelesareas,butthiswashisfirstopportunitytoteachlargenumbersofnon-AsianAmericans.TheretreatwasheldinthefirsttwoweeksofMay,1990,withapproximately100peopleattending.IwasbroughtfromThailandtoserveasinterpreter.

Theformatoftheretreatwassimple.Theretreatantsdidsittingandwalkingmeditationfromearlymorningtolateatnight.Therehadbeenaplantoencouragethemtodowalkingmeditationinthestatelyforestbehindthecenter,buttheweatherwassochillyandrainythroughouttheretreatthateveryonewasconfinedtothebuilding.OnepleasantexceptionwastheeveningofVisākhaPūja—theholidaycelebratingtheBuddha’sbirth,Awakening,andfinalpassingaway.Thisoccurredtowardthebeginningoftheretreat,andprovidedanopportunityfortheretreatantstoperformacandlelitcircumambulationoftheIMScomplexasafullmoonroseintheclear,cold,twilitskyoverthepines.

Throughouttheretreat,AjaanSuwatledsmallgroupinterviewsintheafternoonandthenmetwithallthegatheredretreatantsintheevening,eithertogiveaDhammatalkortoanswerquestions.Larry,meanwhile,ledindividualinterviewsinthemorningsandafternoons.Sadly,thetapingofAjaanSuwat’steachingswasratherhaphazard.Noneoftheafternoonsessionsweretaped,andasfortheeveningsessions,thereweredayswhenboththeThaiandtheEnglishwererecorded;otherdayswhenonlytheEnglishwas;andotherdays,nothing.Thusourrecordoftheretreatisfairlyhaphazardandincomplete.

Still,whatwasrecordedisextremelyvaluable,asthissortofopportunity—foraThaiajaantospeakdirectlytoWesternersintheirownenvironment,andforthemtoaskhimquestions—israre.AnumberofAjaanSuwat’sstudentshavetranscribedtheThaiportionofthetapes,andthistranslationistakenfromthattranscription.Ihaven’tgonebacktolistentotheEnglishpassagesonthetapes—whichareavailableforanyonewhoisinterested—partlyoutofembarrassmentatmyownshortcomingsasaninterpreter,butalsobecauseIwantedtopresenttheretreatasitsoundedtoAjaanSuwathimself:whatheheardinthequestionsastheyweretranslatedtohim,andwhatpointshewastryingtogetacross.

Althoughtheaimoftheretreatwastoteachmeditation,therewereafewinstancesinwhichthediscussiongotoffthetrackintopoliticalandsocialissues.

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Forthesakeofunity,Ihavedeletedthesepassagesfromthisprintededition.AnyoneinterestedmayfindthemintheInternetversionofthesetranscripts,availableatwww.accesstoinsight.org.

AfewoftheteachingsAjaanSuwatgaveduringtheretreatareetchedindeliblyinmymemoryandyetdidn’tmakeitontothetapes,soI’dliketorecordthemhere.Onewasthecommenthemadetomeaftertheseconddayoftheretreat,onhowgrimtheretreatantswereintheirapproachtothemeditation.Headmiredtheirdedication,butwasworriedthattheyweren’tfindinganyjoyinthepractice.HeattributedthistotheircomingdirectlytomeditationwithouthavingfirstgainedthesenseofjoyfulconfidenceintheBuddha’steachingsandinthemselvesthatcancomewithagoodfoundationingenerosityandmorality.Hisattemptstolightenthemoodoftheretreatareobviousinhistalks.

Twoexchangesinthequestionandanswersessionsalsohaveremainedvividlyinmymind.Onewasfromanafternoonsession.Amannewtothepracticecommented,“YouguyswouldhaveagoodreligionherewiththisBuddhismifonlyyouhadaGod.Thatwaypeoplewouldhavesomesenseofsupportintheirpracticewhenthingsaren’tgoingwell.”AjaanSuwatresponded,“IftherewereaGodwhocouldarrangethat,bymytakingamouthfuloffood,allthebeingsintheworldwouldbecomefull,I’dbowdowntothatGod.ButIhaven’tyetfoundanyonelikethat.”

Thesecondexchangewasduringaneveningsession.Awomanwhohadsatseveralretreatscomplainedtotheeffect:“I’mfindingmyselffrustratedinmypracticeofmeditation.NowthatI’vegottenstarted,Ican’tturnback,andyetIdon’tseemtobegettinganywhere.”AjaanSuwat’ssimpleresponse:“Whereareyoutryingtogo?”

Afterabriefmomentofsilence,thewomanlaughedandsaidshewassatisfiedwiththeanswer.

Ihopethatthetalksanddiscussionstranslatedherewillprovidesatisfactionforyou,thereader,aswell.

ṬhānissaroBhikkhu

METTAFORESTMONASTERYOCTOBER,1999

ThiseditionofFistfulofSandalsoincludesthetalk,“TheStrategyofaPeacefulMind,”andthecollectionofAjaanSuwat’stalks,TheLightofDiscernment,thatwasprintedinhishonorafterhisdeathonApril5,2002.

ṬhānissaroBhikkhu

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MAY,2011

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FistfulofSand

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THESKILLFULHEART

WE’VEALLCOMEHEREthroughasenseofconviction,intentonstudyingandpracticingtheDhammathatwillbringhappinessandfulfillmenttoourhearts.WeshouldunderstandthattheDhammataughtbytheLordBuddhadoesn’tlieanywherefaraway.AstheCanonsays,skillfulandunskillfuldhammasariserighthereintheheart.IfwewanttostudytheDhamma,wehavetostudyourownheart.Whenwe’rewellacquaintedwiththeheart,we’llbewellacquaintedwiththeDhamma.Whenwe’rewellacquaintedwiththeDhamma,we’llbewellacquaintedwiththeheart.

Therearetimeswhentheheartisinbadshape.Badmentalqualitiesgetmixedupwithit,makingitevenworse,makingussufferbothinbodyandmind.Thesebadmentalqualitiesaresaidtobe“unskillful”(akusala).TheBuddhateachesustostudythesequalitiessothatwecanabandonthem.

Thereareothertimeswhentheheartisingoodshape:ateasewithasenseofwellbeing.Wefeelateasewhetherwe’resittingorlyingdown,whetherwe’realoneorassociatingwithourfriendsandrelatives.Whentheheartgainsasenseofeaseinthisway,it’ssaidtobestayingwiththeDhamma.Inotherwords,skillful(kusala)mentalqualitieshaveappearedintheheart.Theskillfulheartiswhatgivesushappiness.ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustodeveloptheseskillfulqualities,togiverisetothemwithinourselves.

Ifyouweretolisttheseskillfulqualities,therewouldbelotsofthem.Buteventhoughtherearelotsofthem,theyallariseinouroneheart.SoifwewanttoknowandseetheDhamma,wehavetodevelopmindfulnessandalertness,keepingwatchoverourheart.Iftheheartisn’tatpeace,ifit’sdistractedandturbulent,weshouldrealizethat,atthatmoment,theheartisoutofshape.Unskillfulqualitieshavearisenwithinit.Soweshouldtrytobemindfulandalerttoputitbackintogoodshape.Wehavetokeepwatchoverthehearttoseewhether,atthismomentintime,it’singoodshapeorbad.

Ifweseethattheheartisn’tyetinsatisfactoryshape,weshouldletgoofourunskillfulpreoccupationsandmakeourselvesmindfulofwhat’sgood.Wewanttobehappy,sowedon’twantthethingsthatwillmakeussuffer.Weshouldtrytoputthemindintogoodshape,convincedinthepracticeoftheDhammathatwilldevelopourmindfulness.Wehavetolookaftertheheartsothatit’sconfidentandcontentinourpractice.Weshouldremindourselvesthatinfollowingthispracticewe’refollowinginlinewiththeBuddha:onewhoknows,whosees,anarahantfreefromdefilement,releasedfromsufferinginthecycleofdeathandrebirth.Thefactthatwe’repracticinginlinewiththeDhammataughtbythe

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Buddhameansthatwe’restudyinginaninstitutionofhighestlearning,withtheBuddhaasourforemostteacher.

Sobemindfultokeepyourheartingoodshape.Bemindfulofyourmeditationword,buddho.Orifyouwant,youcanfocusonthein-and-outbreath.Whenthebreathcomesin,keepyourmindatease.Whenitgoesout,keepyourmindatease.Don’tbetense,don’tforcethings,don’tgetcaughtupinanydesiretoknoworseebeyondreasonablebounds.Ifwegiverisetothiskindofdesire,thiskindofdefilement,it’lldistracttheheart.Soweshouldbecarefultobemindful,tolookafterthemind,tomeditatewell.Simplybemindfulofthebreath.Whenthebreathcomesin,letitcomeinwithease.Whenitgoesout,letitgooutwithease.Letthemindbeatease,too.Ifanythingcomesalongtodisturbyou,don’tgetinvolvedwithit.Justkeepthatsenseofeasegoing.Ifyourmindfulnesscankeepmaintainingyoursenseofcontentment,yoursenseofconfidenceinthepractice,themindwillseparatefromitsoutsidepreoccupationsandgatherintoasenseofstillness.Therewillbeasenseoflightness.Comfort.Afeelingofcontentmentwiththatcomfort.

Ifitsohappensthatwhilewe’retryingtomaintainthatsenseofeaseintheheart,disturbancescomeintointerfere,makingtheminddistractedandrestless,weshouldrememberthatwedon’thavetolookforthatlostsenseofeaseanywhereelse.Remember:whereverthere’srestlessnessiswherethereisstillness.Wehavetobealerttothepreoccupationsthathaveputthemindoutofshape.Wedon’twantthem,soweshouldn’tpaythemanyattention.Weshouldtrytorememberthegoodpreoccupationsthathavegivenusasenseofpeaceandcalminthepast.Whenwecanputthemindateaseinthisway,thethingsdisturbingthateasewilldisappearrightthere,rightwherethebadpreoccupationwas.

Thisislikedarkness:nomatterhowlongthedarknesshasreigned,whenwerealizethatit’sdarknessandthatwewantlight,wedon’thavetolookanywhereelse.Ifwehavealantern,thenassoonaswe’velitit,lightwillappearrightwheretherewasdarknessbefore.Wedon’thavetolookanywhereelse.Thedarknesswilldisappearrighttherewherethere’slight.Inthesameway,whenthemindisn’tatpeace,wedon’thavetolookforpeaceanywhereelse.Restlessnesscomesfromanunskillfulpreoccupation;peace,fromaskillfulpreoccupationrightinthesameplace.

Whenwe’vedevelopedagoodpreoccupationthatputsthemindatpeace,weshouldlookafteritandmaintainitwell.Aslongasthissortofpreoccupationisinchargeoftheheart,theheartwillmaintainitssenseofease.Sowedon’thavetolookforgoodnessanywhereelse,forthatwouldsimplydistractanddeceivetheheart.Wehavetokeeplookingatourownheart,toseeifit’singoodshapeyetornot.Everyonehasaheart,andeveryhearthasskillfulandunskillfulqualities.Sousethequalityofdhamma-vicaya,yourpowersofdiscriminatinganalysis,to

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observetheheart,thissenseofawarenessrightherewithinyourself.Whileyou’resittingherelistening,focusyourattentionexclusivelyonyour

ownheart.Thesoundofthetalkwillcomeintotheheartofitsownaccord.Youdon’thavetofocusyourattentionoutsideonthesound,ortoanalyzewhat’sbeingsaid.Establishyourmindfulnessrightattheheart.Whenthepersonspeakingmentionsthisorthatquality,theawarenessofthatqualitywillariserightinyourownheart.Ifitdoesn’tariseimmediately,thengiverisetoit.Say,forexample,thatthemindisinbadshape.Whenthepersonspeakingmentionsgoodness,trytogiverisetoagoodmoodwithintheheart.Makeyourselfconfident,contentinthepractice.Arouseyoureffortstogiverisetoknowledgeofthingsyou’veneverbeforeknown,toattainthingsyou’veneverbeforeattained,toseethesubtlethingsyou’veneverbeforeseen,stepbystepwithinyourownmind.

Duringhislifetime,theBuddhataughttheDhammafullyknowingthecapabilitiesofhislisteners,awareoftheleveloftheirintelligenceandpotential,andofwhichaspectoftheDhammathey’dunderstandmosteasily.HethenwouldteachthemthatDhamma.Asforhislisteners,theywouldfocustheirattentionontheirownheartsandminds,andwouldunderstandinlinewiththepracticestheyhaddoneinthepast.Whenthecorrespondingqualitiesappearedintheirownhearts,theywereabletoknowinlinewiththetruthappearingwithinthem.WhentheDhammaappearedintheirhearts,theyexperiencedpeaceandcalm,orgainedanunderstandingintothetruthsthattheBuddhataught.

Forexample,whenhetaughtaboutstressandsuffering,hislistenersfocusedonthestressandsufferingintheirownhearts.Theytriedtounderstandtothepointwheretheysawthatthingscouldn’tbeotherwisethanwhattheBuddhataught.Theyreallysawsufferingandstress.WhentheBuddhataughtthattheflawcalledtheoriginationofstressshouldbeabandoned,theysawthesufferingthatcomesfromcraving.Theysawhowthesethingsarealwaysrelated.Whenevercravingarises,sufferingalwaysfollowsinitswake.

Asaresult,theymadeanefforttotallytoabandontheoriginationofstress.Themoretheywereabletoabandoncraving,theweakertheirsufferinggrew.Whentheywereabletocutcravingtotallyaway,sufferingandstresstotallydisappeared.Theythenknewclearlyinlinewiththetruth.Thestateoftheirmindsdidn’tdeteriorateorfallaway,becausetheyhadenteredintothetruth.TheyhadlistenedtotheDhammaandfocusedontheirownmindsintheproperway,sothattheycouldseethebasicprinciplesofthetruthwiththeirownmindfulnessanddiscernment.

Asforthosewhosementalfacultiesweren’tyetfullystrong,whohaddevelopedtheirfacultiesonlytoamoderatelevel,eventhoughtheydidn’treachtheDhammawhiletheyweresittingtherelisteningtoit,theBuddhataughtthenobleeightfoldpathforthemtoputintopractice.Thisenabledthemtogain

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knowledgeandunderstandingstepbystep,tothepointwheretheirmindfulnessanddiscernmentwerestrongenoughtobringthemtotheDhammaatalaterpoint,inlinewiththemeritandpotentialtheyhaddevelopedontheirown.

Asforus:eventhoughwemaynotreachtheDhammawhilelisteningtoit,theBuddhalaiddownthepathtothecessationofstressforustodevelopbyputtingitintopractice.Thispathisnothingotherthanthenoblepath:rightview,rightresolve,rightspeech,rightactivity,rightlivelihood,righteffort,rightmindfulness,andrightconcentration.Havingtaughtabouttherightpaththatweshoulddevelop,healsotaughtaboutthewrongpaththatshouldbeavoided.Inotherwords,hetaughtus:

toabandonwrongviewandtodeveloprightview;

toabandonwrongresolveandtodeveloprightresolve;

toabandonwrongspeechandtodeveloprightspeech;

toabandonwrongactivityandtodeveloprightactivity;

toabandonwronglivelihoodandtodeveloprightlivelihood;

toabandonwrongeffortandtodeveloprighteffort;

toabandonwrongmindfulnessandtodeveloprightmindfulness;

toabandonwrongconcentrationandtodeveloprightconcentration.

Forthisreason,weshouldacquaintourselveswithboththerightpathandthewrongpath.Whatsortofviewranksasthewrongviewweshouldabandon?Wrongviewstartswithviewsaboutthebody,orphysicalformingeneral.IfweviewphysicalforminlinewithwhattheBuddhataught—thatrūpaṁaniccaṁ,physicalformisinconstant;rūpaṁdukkhaṁ,physicalformisstressful;rūpaṁanattā,physicalformisnot-self—that’scalledrightview.Butifweseephysicalformasconstant—ortrytomakeitconstant—that’swrongview,andrunscountertotheBuddha’steachings.Inotherwords,ifweseethatrūpaṁniccaṁ,physicalformisconstant;rūpaṁsukhaṁ,physicalform—thebody—iseaseful;rūpaṁattā,physicalformisourselforreallyourown,that’swrongview.

Ifwereallylookatthebodyinlinewithitstruth,we’llseethatitreallyisinconstant.Fromthemomentit’sbornwecaneasilyseethechangesitundergoes.Itagesandwearsdowneveryday.Thisinconstancyiswhywehavetokeep

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strugglingunderthedesiretomakeitconstantandlasting.Thenatureofthebodyisthatit’salwayslackingonethingoranother—likeawatertankthat’scontinuallyleaking:wehavetokeepaddingwatertoittokeepitfromrunningdry;ifweforgettoaddwater,it’lldryoutforsure.Inthesameway,thebodyisgenuinelyinconstant,genuinelystressful.Ifitwereconstant,wewouldn’thavetostruggle,wewouldn’thavetokeeplookingforthingstokeepitgoing;wewouldn’thavetowork.Thereasonweworkformoneyissothatwecannourishthisbody,whichiscontinuallywastingaway.TheBuddhasawclearlythatthisworkandstruggleisstressful,thatit’sintimatelytiedupwiththeinconstancyofthebody.Whereverthere’sinconstancy,there’sstress.Andbecauseofthatstressfulness,it’sinconstant.Thesequalitiesaredependentoneachother.

Whenwe’vecontemplatedsothatweseethistruth,thenweseetheDhamma.Wehaverightview.Themorethemindunderstandsstressandsuffering,themoreitcangrowstillandletdownitsburdens.Itsgreedwilldecrease.Itsangerwilldecrease.Itsdelusionaboutphysicalformwilldecrease.Itsburdenswilldecrease.Thiswillmakeitbrighterandmorepeaceful:askillfulmentalstatearisinginsuchawaythatwecanseeitclearlywhenwecontemplatetheeventsappearinginthemindinlinewiththeirtruth.

WhentheBuddhaexplainedrightview,hestartedwithstressandsuffering:jātipidukkhā—birthisstressful;jarāpidukkhā—agingisstressful;maraṇampidukkhaṁ—deathisstressful.Thesearetruthsfoundwithineachandeveryoneofus—everyperson,everylivingbeing.Whetherornotwestudythematter,thisisthewaythingsareinactuality,eversincewhoknowswhen.Forhundredsandthousandsofyearsinthepast,wherevertherehasbeenbirth,therehashadtobeaging,illness,anddeathinitswake.Thesamethingistrueinthepresentandevenonintothefuture:everypersonwhotakesbirthwillhavetomeetwiththesethings.

Thisteachingisthegenuinetruth.Itwillneverchangeintoanythingelse.Nomatterhowmanyhundredsorthousandsofpeoplewillbeborn,theywillallhavetomeetwithillness,willallhavetoage,willallhavetodie,eachandeveryoneofthem.Notoneofthemwillremain.Nomatterwhatknowledgetheyattain,whatweaponstheyinvent,theywon’tbeabletowinoutoverthisgenuinetruth.Sooncewe’vedevelopedrightviewinthisway,wehavetoeliminateourdefilements—inotherwords,ourintoxicationwithouryouth,ourintoxicationwithbeingfreefromdisease,ourintoxicationwithbeingalive.We’llthenbeabletobehaveinawaythatwillbetoourowntruebenefitaslongaswearestillalive.

Aswedevelopmindfulnessincontemplatingthebodyinandofitself,seeingitstruenatureanddevelopingrightview,ourheartwillgetmoreandmoreconvincedofthisreality,andwillgrowfartherandfartherawayfromwrongview.We’llbeabletodeveloprightviewmorecontinually.Thisisthepaththatwilllead

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ustoattaintheDhamma,theultimatepeace.Aswedeveloprightview,thenrightresolvewillbenoproblem,becauseour

resolvetomeditatesoastodeveloprightviewis,inandofitself,rightresolve:theresolvetoseetheDhamma,toknowtheDhamma,inlinewiththetruththatappearsinourownbody,beginningwiththetruthofstressandsuffering.Ourbodyiscomposedofbirth:Assoonasthere’sbirth,therehastobesuffering.Wesufferbecauseofbirth.Hunger,desire,intenseheatandcold:allofthesethingscomefrombirth.Andnomatterhowcarefullyandadequatelywelookafterthebody,ithastokeeponagingandwastingaway.Nomatterhowmuchwepleadwithit,itwon’tlistentous.Itjustkeepsonaging.

Andontopofthat,ithasallkindsofdiseases.Ifyoureallylookatthebody,you’llseethatdiseasescanariseatanytimeatall.It’sahomefordiseases.Ithaseyes,andsothereareeyediseases.Ithasears,andsothereareeardiseases.Ithasanose,andsotherearenosediseases.Ithasatongue,andsotherearetonguediseases.Diseasescanariseineachandeveryoneofitsparts.Thisisagenuinetruth—whichiswhytherearedoctorsandhospitalsineverycountry.Allpeopleofallraceshavetodependonmedicine.Eventhepersontellingyouthishasdiseases,justlikeeveryoneelse.Whenwelooktoreallyseethetruth,we’llseethattheBuddha’steachingsaren’tintheleastbitmistaken:they’rerighthereineachandeveryoneofus.

Ifwedevelopourmindsproperlyinlinewiththetruthsothatitsviewsareright,ourrestlessnessanddistractionwillgrowcalm.We’llseethatthegreedwe’vefeltinthepasthasservednorealpurpose.Whenangerarisestowardotherpeople,we’llseethatitservesnorealpurpose,thatit’snothingbutstressandsuffering.We’llseethatouronlywayoutistomakethemindstill:thisisthewaytotruehappiness.We’llgaindisenchantment,seeing—giventhetruenatureofthings—thatwhatwe’vebusiedourselveswithhasservedusnorealpurpose.It’stiredusouttonorealpurpose,createddifficultiestonorealpurpose,andhasleftuswithnothingatallthatwecantrulycallourown.Thinkaboutallthethingsyou’vesoughtandamassedfromyourbirthuptothepresentmoment:isthereanythingtherethatyoucanreallydependon?Anythingyoucanreallycallyourown?Nothingatall.Noneofthosethingscanreallyhelpyou.Theymayhelpyouabit,butnotenoughtogiveyouanyrealhappiness.

SoIaskthatyouallworkatdevelopingrightview.Meditateonthefourframesofreference(satipaṭṭhāna)soastodevelopdiscernment.Asyoumeditate—sitting,standing,walking,andlyingdown—staymindfulofthebody,whichisfilledwithinconstancy.Nomatterwhereyoulook,it’sinconstant.It’salsofullofstress.Whereveryoulook,youseethatdiseasesandpainscanariseatanytime.Itcanageatanytime.There’snopartofitthat’stotallyfreeofachesandpains.Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,takeasharpspikeandstabanypartofthebody,andyou’ll

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seethatithurtswhereveryoustab.Youcanseeclearlyinlinewiththetruththatthewholebodyisstressful.

Asforbuddho,theawarenessinthemind,it’llbeawarethatwhat’sreallyimportantisnotthebody:it’sthemind.Whenyouseethedrawbacksandstressesofthebody,thendiscernment,clarity,andcalmwillariseintheheart,freeingitfromitsburdensandkarmadebtsrelatedtothebody.Inthiswayweletgoofourheavyburden:nicchātoparinibbuto,freefromhunger,totallyunbound,reachingablissandpeacethatislasting.

SoIaskallofyou—whohaveconviction,whowantpeace,whowanthappinessinyourday-to-daylife—todevelopmindfulness,todeveloprightview.Lookatthebodyinandofitself.ThebodyinandofitselfismentionedintheGreatFramesofReferenceDiscourse(MahāsatipaṭṭhānaSutta),butit’snotinthewords.It’snotthereinthebook.It’srighthere.Whenwepractice,wedon’thavetorecitethewords.Welookrightatourownbody,atwhat’salreadyhere.Mindfulnessissomethingwealreadyhave;allweneedtodoisapplyittothebody.Ifwe’renotmindfulofthebody,thenit’snotrightmindfulness.Whenwe’remindfulofthebody,there’sourmindfulness:themindfulnessthatwillenableustopractice,thatwillenableustoknow.Ifwekeepobservingthebody,we’resuretoseewhat’shere.

Themoreweobserve,themoreproficientwe’llbecome.We’llunderstandclearlyandcorrectly.Themoreclearlywesee,themoreeffort—righteffort—we’llputintoknowingandseeingevenmorefully.Rightmindfulnesswillbemorecontinuallymindful;andrightconcentration,morefirmlyestablished.Rightspeechandrightactivitywillfollowintheirwake.Sodeveloprightviewinyourheartsbydevelopingtheframesofreference.Keeptrackofthebodyinandofitself,traininlinewiththetruth,bydayandbynight,whetheryou’resitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown.

Whenyoupracticecorrectly,noonewithanytruewisdomwillbeabletotakeissuewithyou,foryou’refocusedonthegenuinetruth:theinconstancy,thestressandsuffering,allfourofthefournobletruthsthatcanbeseenrighthereinthisbody.Thesethingscan’tbeseenanywhereelse.Ifwereallydeveloprightviewwithregardtothesethings,resultswillarisewithinus.Whenresultsarise,thenatureofthemindisthatitwillknowonitsown.Itwon’thavetobetold.Allthat’snecessaryisthatyoupracticerightly.Begintryingfromthismomenton.Don’tgetdistractedbythispersonsayingthatorthatpersonsayingthis.There’snowhereelseyouhavetolook.Theevidenceisyourownbody.Howinconstantitis,you’llknowforyourself.Itwon’tlietoyou.Howstressfulitis—howmanydiseases,aches,andpains—you’llknowforyourself.Itwon’tlietoyou.Thetruthisalwaysthereforyoutosee.

PracticingtoseeinlinewiththetruthinthiswayiscalledseeingtheDhamma,

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thenatureofrealityinandofitself.We’llcometoseethetruthallthewaythroughandgainreleasefromsufferingandstress.Sokeepatit.Whenyougainanyunderstandingsofanysort,wecandiscussthemastheyarise,stepbystep,untilyougaingenuinereleasefromsufferingandstress.

Butthiswillbeenoughfornow.

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QUESTIONS&ANSWERS

Question:IunderstandthatTibetanmonksusevisualizationwhentheymeditate.Haveyoueverusedvisualizationinyourmeditation?

AjaanSuwat:Visualizationofwhat?

Question:I’mnotreallysure.Maybeoftheunattractivenessofthebody?

AjaanSuwat:Visualization,ifit’sdoneintheproperway,canbeuseful.Ifit’sdoneinthewrongway,itcanleadtodelusion.Theprocessofvisualization,inthelanguageoftheDhamma,iscalledsaṅkhāra,orfabrication.TheBuddhataughtustobewisetothetruenatureoffabrication,thatit’sinconstantandundependable.Whenweknowthistruth,wedon’tgetattachedtothethingsthatarise.Whenknowledgearisesandwedon’tgetattachedtoit,thenwedon’tgetdeludedbyit.That’swhenitcanbeuseful.

OneoftheprinciplesoftheDhammaisthatifyouvisualizeanythinginyourmeditation,youshouldvisualizeonlythingslyingwithinyou,sothatyouseephysicalfabricationinthebodyandmentalfabricationinthemindinlinewiththeirtruenature.Forexample:atpresentyou’renotyetold,butyou’retaughttovisualizeyourselfasgrowingoldinthesamewayyou’veseenotherpeoplegrowold.Remindyourselfthatastheyearspass,you’llhavetoageinjustthesameway.Agingisstressful.Youreyeswon’tbeabletoseeasclearlyaswhenyouwereyoung.Yourearswon’tbeabletohearinthesamewayaswhenyouwereyoung.It’llbepainfultositdown,tostand,towalk.Therewillbeallkindsofobstacles.Sonow,beforeyougrowold,youshouldaccelerateyoureffortsatdevelopinggoodnesssothatitwillbearefugefortheheartwhenoldagecomes.Inotherwords,accelerateyoureffortsatpracticingtheDhammaandtrainingthemindtofindpeace.

Oneofthetenrecollections(anussati)taughtbytheBuddhaisrecollectionofdeath.Whenyouseeotherpeopledying,otheranimalsdying,youshouldreflectonthefactthatyouwillhavetodiejustlikeeveryoneelse.Repeatthewordmaraṇaṁ,maraṇaṁ(death,death)inthemindandlookatyourself:you’regoingtohavetodieforsure.Asyoureflectmaraṇaṁ,maraṇaṁ,itmayhappenthatasyourmindgrowsstill,avisionofyourowndeathwillappearwithinyou.Ifyourmindfulnessisgoodandyouhaveyourwitsaboutyou,thenthemoreclearlyyouseedeathinthisway,themorethemindwillgrowstillwithanevengreatersenseofwellbeing.Asyouwatchdeathclearly,seeingthebodydecay,concentrationgrowsevenstronger.Ifyouvisualizedeathsothatyoucanseeitclearly,you’ll

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realizethatthere’snothingtobegainedbygrowingattachedtothebody.Whenyouseethetruthinthisway,you’llseethatyourpastgreedforthingsservednorealpurpose.Theangeryou’vefeltinthepast:whatpurposediditserve?You’llseethatgreed,anger,anddelusionarestressfulandservenopurpose—forultimately,we’llhavetoletgoofeverythingthatcomesalongwiththem.You’llseethatthissenseofpeaceandeaseinthemindiswhatservesarealpurpose.Whenthemindisatpeaceinthisway,itdoesn’twantanythingelse.Allitwantsispeace,andthat’senough.

I’lltellyouastory.It’stimeyoulistenedtosomethinglightforachange,sothatyouwon’tbesotenseandgrim.It’simportantthatyoufirstletyourselfrelax.OnceAjaanFunn,myteacher,waswanderingthroughtheforestinBaanPhyydistrict,UdornThaniprovince,andstoppedtospendthenightnotfarfromacertainvillage.Hesawthatitwasacongenialplaceandsostayedontheretopracticemeditation.Awomanlivinginthevillagewouldoftencomeinthemorningtogivehimalms,andthenagainintheeveningtohearhisDhammatalks.AjaanFunntaughthertomeditate,somethingshehadneverdonebefore.Itsohappenedthatshewasafraidofghosts.Wherevershewent,shewasafraidofghosts,andsosheneverwentanywherealone.Especiallyatnight,shewasreallyafraid.WhenAjaanFunntaughthertomeditate,shedidn’twantto,becauseshewasafraidthatshe’dseeacorpseoraghost.Onfollowingdays,AjaanFunnaskedherhowhermeditationwasgoing,andshecouldn’tanswerhimbecauseshehadn’tmeditated.Afterawhileshebegantofeelembarrassed:“HekeepsteachingmetomeditateandyetallIdoisholdontomyfearofghosts.”Soshedecided,“Whatevermayhappen,I’mgoingtomeditate.”Soshestartedtomeditate.

Atfirstshesimplyfocusedonrepeatingthewordbuddhoasshewatchedherbreathcomeinandout.Ashermindbegantorelax,itbegantodriftabitandavisionarose:shesawacorpselyingstretchedoutinfrontofher.Whenshesawthecorpse,shebegantofeelafraid.Thenthecorpsemovedinsothatitwaslyingonherlap.Withthecorpseonherlap,shecouldn’tgetuptorunaway.Andthat’swhensherememberedherbuddho.Shewantedbuddhotocomeandhelpher.Soshekeptthinking,buddho,buddho,moreandmoreintensely.Asshewasdoingthis,onepartofhermindwasafraid,theotherpartkeptrecollectingbuddho,buddho,untilthecorpsedisappearedfromherlapandturnedintoherself.Thatwaswhenshehadavisionofherchestburstingwideopen.Herheartwasbright,verybright.Inthebrightnessofherheartshecouldseeallkindsofthings.Shecouldseewhatotherpeoplewerethinking,whatanimalswerethinking.Sheknewallkindsofthingsandfeltreallyamazed.Fromthatpointonherfearofghostsdisappeared.Herheartgrewpeacefulandatease.

ThenextdayshewenttoseeAjaanFunn.AjaanFunnwassickwithafever,butheforcedhimselftogetuptogreetherandgiveheraDhammatalk,ashehad

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onpreviousdays,justasifhewasn’tsickatall.Afterthetalk,sheimmediatelysaidtohim,“ThanAjaan,yourheartisn’tbrightandbloomingatall.Itlookswitheredanddry.Youmustbeverysick.”AjaanFunnwassurprised:“Howdoessheknowthestateofmymind?”Buthehadnoticedthathermannerwasdifferentfromwhatithadbeenonpreviousdays.Shewasverycomposedandpolite.Shehadboweddownverypolitely;herwordshadbeengentleandveryrespectful.Whenshecommentedonhisheartthatway,hewondered,“Doesshereallyknowthestateofmymind?”Sowhenshereturnedtothevillage,heforcedhimselftositandmeditatetothepointwherethefeverbrokeandwentaway.Hisheartgrewpeaceful,bright,andatease.Thenextday,whenthetimecamethatthewomanwouldcome,hedecidedtoplaysickinordertotesther.Whenshearrived,hedidn’tgetuptogreetherandstayedlyingdownasifhewassick.Aftersheboweddown,shesattomeditateforamoment,andthensaid,“Why,yourlotus”—meaninghisheart—“yourlotusisreallyblooming!”ThatwaswhenAjaanFunnrealizedthatshewasreallymeditatingwell.

Fromthatpointon,shecouldcomeintheeveningwithouttheslightestfearofghostsorspirits.Andshecontinuedtomeditatewell.Hermindneverdeteriorated.Totellthetruth,shehadneverstudiedinschoolanddidn’tknowmuchoftheDhamma,butbecauseofherrespectforAjaanFunn,whenhetaughthertomeditateshefollowedhisinstructions.Whetheritwasbecauseofherpastmeritorwhat,Idon’tknow,butshegainedpeaceofmind,developedherdiscernment,andwasabletoknowherownheartandtheheartsofotherpeople.Sothoseofyouwhohavecomeheretomeditate:don’tunderestimateyourselves,thinkingthatyouwon’tgainanythingorcometoanyinsights.Don’tbesosure!Ifyoukeepupyoureffortsandpracticecorrectly,itmightverywellhappenthatyou’llgaininsight.Ifthingscometogetherproperly,thedaywillcomewhenyouknow,whenyouseetheDhamma.Itcouldverywellhappen.

Sokeepupyourefforts.Aftertheretreatisover,whenyougobackhome,keepusingyourmindfulnesstokeepwatchoveryourself.Inyourcomingsandgoings,keeptrainingyourmindfulnessasyoudowhileyou’rehere,asameansofmaintainingthestateofyourmindthroughpracticingrestraintofthesenses.Thiswilldevelopyourmindfulnessandgiveitpower.Thatway,you’llfindthatthingsgomoresmoothlywhenthetimecomestotrainthemindtobestill.

Arethereanyotherquestions?

Question:I’mfindingthatmymindisbeginningtosettledownsomewhatinmymeditation,andI’msurprisedatthesenseofcomfortandeasethatcomeswhenitdoessettledown.

AjaanSuwat:Asenseofeaseariseswhenthere’speaceandcalm.Stressand

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sufferingarisewhenthere’snopeaceandcalm.Thesethingsalwaysgotogether.Youcanobserveinyourselfthatwheneverthemindisn’tatpeace,whenthere’salotofdisturbanceandturmoil,there’salotofstressandsufferingaswell.Whenthere’sonlyalittledisturbance,there’sonlyalittlestressandsuffering.Whenthere’salotofpeace,there’salotofease.Ifyou’reobservant,you’llnoticethatwhereverthere’speace,there’salsoasenseofcomfortandease.

Youcancompareittoanationatpeace,withnowar,nostrife,noconflicts,nocrime.Thatnationwillhavethesenseofeasethatcomeswithbeingatpeace.Ifafamilylivesinharmony,withnoquarreling,thatfamilywillhavethesenseofeasethatcomeswithbeingatpeace.Ifthebodyisfreefromdisease,strongenoughtobeusedforwhateverworkyouwanttodo,it’scalledabodyatpeace,andhasthesenseofeasethatcomeswithbeingatpeace.Ifthemindisn’tdisturbedbythedefilementsthatwouldputitintoaturmoil,it’satpeaceinlinewithitsnature.Evennibbānaispeace—apeacethatlastsandcanneverbedisturbed.That’swhynibbānaistheultimateease.

Question:WhenImeditateandseethechangesinmybodyandmind,thereseemstobeonepartofthemindthat’ssimplytheobserver,whichdoesn’tchangealongwiththethingsitwatches.WhenIcatchsightofthisobserver,thissenseofawareness,whatshouldIdonext?

AjaanSuwat:Onepartofthemindisfabrication.Asforthissenseofawarenessitself,thisisveryimportant.Weshouldtrytoknowfabricationsinlinewiththeirtruenature.Thesethingsareinconstant,andsoweshouldknowtheirinconstancy.Thesethingschangeandgrow.Whentheyappear,weshouldknowthatthey’reappearing.Whentheydisappear,weshouldknowthatthey’redisappearing.Whenweknowtheappearinganddisappearingoffabrications,we’llrealize:beforewedidn’tunderstandfabrications,whichwaswhywefeltdesireforthem.Wethoughttheywouldmakeushappy.Butfabricationsareinconstant.Theyariseandchangeinthiswayandsoservenorealpurposeatall.We’vestruggledtoacquirethemforalong,longtime,buthavenevergainedenoughhappinessfromthemtosatisfyourwants.Butwhenwetrainthemindsothatoursenseofawarenessknowsinthisway,wegainasenseofpeace,happiness,satisfaction.Thissenseofhappinessdoesn’tinvolveanystruggle,doesn’tdependonanyoneelseatall.Whenweexperiencethissenseofpeaceandease,we’llgaindiscernmentandinsight.We’llseethesenseofpeaceandeasecomingwhenourdiscernmentiswisetothenatureoffabricationsandcancleansethemindsothatitfeelsnogreedforfabrications.Themindthenbecomescleanandpure.

Question:Isthissenseofawarenesstheself?Herewe’retaughtthatthereisnoself,andsoI’mconfused.

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AjaanSuwat:Don’tbeinahurrytolabelthissenseofawarenessselfornot-self.Thediscernmentthatmakesusawareofeveryaspectoffabricationwilltellusonitsowninlinewiththetruth.It’sthesameaswhenyoufixfood.Asyou’refixingit,don’taskwhatthetasteislikeorwhereitresides.Atthatmomentyoucan’ttellwherethetasteis.Butonceyou’vefixeditandeatenit,you’llknowthetasteandwhereitlies.Inthesameway,thisissueofselfandnot-selfisveryrefined.Whenyou’vepracticeduntilyou’vereachedthatlevel,it’llbecleartoyouinthesamewaythatthetasteoffoodiscleartoyouwhenittouchesyourtongue.Youknowimmediately,forthenatureofthesethingsistoknowontheirown.

Ourjobatpresentistoknowtheprocessoffabricationasitappearsinthebodyandmind.Weshouldn’tletourselvesbedeludedbythefabricationsofthebody.Weshouldknowtheirtruenature.Thesameholdstruewiththementalfabrications,issuesofgoodandbad,thataffectthemind:weshouldn’tbedeludedbythem,shouldn’tfallforthem.Whenwe’rewisetothemandcan’tbefooledbythem,we’llgainthediscernmentthatputsanendtosufferingandstressbecausewe’renolongermisledbywhatfabricationkeepstellingus.

Forinstance,whentheeyeseesabeautifulform,aformthatwe’velikedinthepast,wetendtofallforit.Wewantit.Thisgreedofourscreatesadisturbance,defilesthemindalloveragain.Whentheearhearsabeautifulsoundwe’veliked,thatwe’vefallenforinthepast,theprocessoffabricationwillmakeuslikeitagain.Greedarises,desirearises,themindgetsdisturbedalloveragain.Whenagoodsmellcomesintothenose,wefallforit.Whenthetonguetouchesaflavorwelike,wefallforitagain.Whenourmindfulnessandalertnessaren’tuponwhat’shappening,welikethesethings.Wefallforthem.Wesearchforthem.Thisiswhatgivesrisetocravinginthemind:theoriginationofsufferingandstress.Andsowesuffer.

Forthisreason,ourdiscernmenthastobefullyawareofthisaspectoffabricationaswell.Oncediscernmentistrained,thenwhenweseeaform,hearasound,smellanaroma,tasteaflavor,wecanrecallthatthesethingsarefabrications.They’reinconstant.Whenfabricationisinconstant,thepleasurethatcomesfromfabricationisundependable.Weshouldn’tgetcarriedawaybythepleasuresthatcomefromthosefabrications.Otherwise,whentheychange,we’llkeepexperiencingpainagainandagainuntilthosefabricationshavedisappeared.Whentheydisappear,westruggletogainthemagain,comeintoconflictwithotherpeopleagain,falloutwiththem,quarrelwiththem,developanimosities,developbadkammawiththem—allbecausewe’vefallenforfabrications.Sowehavetoreflectonthefactthatfabricationsareinconstant.Weshouldn’tlatchontothem,growattachedtothem,orfallforthemsomuch.

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Question:JustnowwhileIwasmeditatingIhadthisfeelingthatthebodywassimplysittingthereonitsown,breathingallonitsown,andthemindseemedtobesomethingseparate.Itseparatedoutforamoment,andthencamebackintothebody.Whenthemindseparatesoutinthisway,isitthefirststepincontemplatingthebody?

AjaanSuwat:Therewasn’tanypain,wasthere?

Question:No,nopainatall.Itwasasifthebodydidn’thavetorelyonthemind.Itkeptbreathingonitsown,whilethemindwassomethingseparate.

AjaanSuwat:That’sbecauseyourmindfulnesswasgood.Youweren’tholdingontothebody.Youwereabletoletgo,sothatfeelingsweren’tmakingcontactwiththemind.Thisisthewayitalwaysiswithaquietmind.Aquietmindlikethisisareallygoodthingtohave.Thisiswhymonksoutmeditatingintheforest,whentheygrowsick,don’tsuffer,andcaninsteadfindagreatdealofbliss.Theytaketheirillnessasameansofdevelopingmindfulness,remindingthemselvesthatit’snot-self,andsotheyshouldn’tlatchontoit.Themindisthemind;thefeelingisnot-self.Whenyourepeatthenotion,not-self,not-self,andtheninvestigatethefeeling,takingitapart,youcankeepinvestigatinguntilthemindgrowsquietandatease,withnosufferingatall.Thebodygrowslight.Themindgrowslight,withagreatdealofhappiness.Youbegintomarvelandgainconvictioninthepractice,becauseyou’veseenahappinessthathasarisenfromwithinyourveryownheart.Sufferingstops,eventhoughthebodymaystillbesick.

Soweshouldkeepmakinganeffortattrainingthemind,usingvarioustechniquestolookafteritsothatit’llsettledownandbestill.Thatwaywe’llgainthestrengththatwillhelpuswhenpainanddiscomfortariseintheheart.We’llhaveourhideout—forwhenwestaywiththissenseofstillness,we’llhaveanexcellenthideoutfromdanger.

Whenmeditatorsgowanderingthroughtheforest,theirteachersusuallyhavethemstayinplacesthatarescary.Ifthere’saplacewheretigersareknowntofrequent,theteacherswillhavetheirstudentsgostaythere.Therearecaseswheremeditatorshavegainedmindfulness,gainedconcentration,gainedraptureandease,allfromtheirfearofbeingeatenbytigers.Butyouhavetobebrave.Eventhoughyoumaybeafraid,youhavetobebraveatthesametime.Ifyou’resimplyafraidandrunawayinsteadofmeditating,itwon’taccomplishanything.Therearequiteafewmeditationmasterswho,whentheyheardtigersclosinginonthematnight,grewsoafraidthattheycouldn’tbearit.Therewasnowayforthemtoescape,becauseitwasnighttime,andtheywerestayinginaplacewhere….

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(Endoftape)

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QUESTIONS&ANSWERS

….Intheframesofreferencethatwe’repracticing,we’retaughttoreflectonthefoodweeat,theothernecessitiesoflifeweuse,toseethatthey’resimplythingsforustodependonforashortwhile.Don’tgrowattachedtothem.Youcanchoosethethingsyoubuyandstoreupforyouruse,butthemindshouldkeepreflectingthattheyfallunderthethreecharacteristics.They’reuncertain.Whenwewanttousethesethingsforourbenefit,weshouldlookafterthembutweshouldn’tletourselvessufferwhentheydeteriorateandchange.

Question:Sometimes,whenI’mmeditatingtorelaxandsettlethemind,thedesireforresultsgetsintheway.WhatshouldIdotokeepmyintentionpuresothatdesiredoesn’tbecomeanobstacle?

AjaanSuwat:Thisdesireisaformofcraving.Itreallyisanobstacle.CravingissomethingtheBuddhataughtustoabandon.Ifthedesireservesapurpose,youshouldgoaheadanddesire.Butifitdoesn’t,youshouldfocusonwhatwillgetresults.Inotherwords,youshouldactwithoutdesire.Evenwhenthere’snodesire,youcanstillact.Youwanttogainawareness,ofcourse,sothetaskinfrontofyouistofocusyourawarenessonasingleobject.Whenyourmeditationobjectappearstoyourawareness,youshouldfocusonstayingtherewithitinasinglespot.Asyoustaytherelongerandlonger,themindwillgrowstillandrefined,allonitsown.That’sbecausestillnesscomesfrombeingmindful—simplyfrombeingmindfulwithoutlapsesofforgetfulness—andnotfromdesire.

Tellyourself:thisisataskyouhavetodowithmindfulness,discernment,andcorrectawareness.Youdon’thavetodependondesire.Whenyoudotheworkcorrectly,theresultswillcomeontheirown.

Question:Whendoubtsariseinthemind,aretheyofanyhelpinthepractice?

AjaanSuwat:Aslongasthelevelofdiscernmentcalledñāṇa-dassana—knowledgeandvision—hasn’tyetarisenwithinus,we’reallboundtohavedoubts.Butifwesimplysittheredoubting,itdoesn’tserveanypurpose.Whendoubtsarise,weshouldstudyandpracticesoastogiverisetoknowledge.Ifwecan’tgiverisetoknowledgeonourown,weshouldgoaskthosewhoknow,teacherswithcorrectknowledge.Ifwepracticecorrectly,thethingswewonderaboutwillappear,andthatwillbetheendofourdoubts.Forinstance,thequestionsyou’reaskingareallanaffairofdoubt.Whenyougetacorrectanswer,yougainknowledgethathelpsunravelyourdoubts—andinthiswaydoubts

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serveapurpose,inthatgettinganswerstoyourquestionscanresolveyourdoubtsonsomelevels.

(Afteraseriesofquestionsonpoliticalissues)

AjaanSuwat:Theissuesofthemonks’lifeareverysubtle.TheBuddhalaiddownrulesforbiddingusfromeventalkingaboutthesethings,soI’drathernotgointothesemattersindetail.MymainconcerniswhatIcandosothatyoucandependonyourselvestoattainpeaceandhappinessofmind.That’swhatconcernsme:howeachofuscanlearnhowtodependonourselves,sothatourmindsaresolidanddon’twaverinlinewithevents,sothatwecanlookafterourselvesinawayallowingustoescapethedangersofthesufferingsarisingwithinus.Everypersonhassuffering,andeverypersonisonlyoneperson.There’snobodywho’stwo.Ifeachofuslooksafterouroneperson,withoutoppressinganyoneorharminganyone,therewouldbenoproblems.Theproblemisthatwedon’tlookafterourselves,andexpecthelptocomefromoutside.Thatmeansthatweabandonourresponsibilities,andthat’swhythere’sinjusticeintheworld—oppression,corruption,inequality.IfeverypersonweretolistentotheBuddha’steachingsandberesponsibleforhimorherself,we’dseethateveryoneelseisjustlikeus.Ifwecursethem,they’llcurseusback.Ifweshowthemrespect,they’llshowusrespectinreturn.Thisiswhyweshouldn’toppressthemorharmthem.Weshouldtreatthemwithjustice,becauseiftherearethingsthatwedon’tlikehavingdonetousandyetwegodothemtootherpeople,itcreatesdangersforourselves.Whenwecanseethesedangers,weshouldlookafterourownbehavior.Thenthesedangerswon’texist.ThisisthebasicprincipleatwhichtheBuddha’steachingsaim.Andthisiswhymonksaren’tinvolvedwithworldlyaffairs.Wehavetostudythisprincipleuntilweunderstandit,andthatwaytherewillbenooppression.

Question:Ihavetwoquestionsaboutrebirth.Thefirstis:whatisitthatgetsreborn?

AjaanSuwat:Whenyouwereborn,doyouknowwhatitwasthatgotborn?

Question:No.

AjaanSuwat:Ifyoudon’tknow,howisitthatyouwerestillabletobeborn?Whatledyoutobeborn?

(Amomentofdeadsilence)

Question:Mysecondquestionhastodowithchannelingspirits.Thereseemto

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bealotofpeopleinAmericawhoareinterestedincontactingspirits,tothepointwherebookshavebeenwritten,givingadviceonhowtogetintouchwithspiritsinthisway.WhatdoesBuddhismhavetosayaboutthis?

AjaanSuwat:Buddhismforthemostpartteachesustobemindfulsoastogetintouchwithourselves.Thisisbecausetheunawareness(avijjā)thatgivesrisetofabricationandsufferingisanunawarenessconcerningourownminds,anditlieswithinourownminds,too.SoBuddhismteachesustolearnaboutourownminds,andnottogetinvolvedwithspiritsorpeoplewhochannelspirits,becausethatsortofthingdoesn’tserveanypurpose,can’thelpusgiverisetotheawarenessthatwillputanendtoourdefilements.

Question:WhenIleavemeditationandgowalkingoutsideorhaveworktodo,Isometimeshavetousealotofthought.HowcanIbemindfulandthinkatthesametime?WhereshouldIfocusmindfulness?Whattechniquesdoyourecommend?

AjaanSuwat:Whenwebeginmeditatingwewantmindfulnesssothatit’llkeepourbodyandmindstillandatpeace,butthebodyhastokeepchangingpositions—sitting,walking,lyingdown.Thewaytopractice,givenintheMahāsatipaṭṭhānaSutta,isthatwhenwesit,we’realerttohowwe’resitting.Whenwewalk,we’realerttothefactthatwe’rewalking,andwewalkinacomposedway.Don’tletthemindbemindfulofanythingoutsideitsproperbounds.Keepitwithinbounds,i.e.,withinthebody.Bealerttothewayyoustep,placeyourfoot,allyourvariousmovements.Ifyoucanstayawareofthesethings,you’reontherightpath.

Orifyoudon’tfocusonthebody,focusonthemind.Bealerttowhatevermoodorpreoccupationisarisinginthepresent.Love?Hatred?Isitfocusedonvisualobjects?Tastes?Thepast?Thefuture?Thennoticewhichpreoccupationsservenopurpose,andtellyourselfnottofocusonthingsthatservenopurpose.Focusonlyonthingsthatdoserveapurpose.Whenthemindsettlesdown,bealerttothefact.Giveyourselfasenseofpleasure,satisfaction,andpeaceinthepresent.Whenyoudothis,you’repracticinginlinewiththeMahāsatipaṭṭhānaSuttaasawayoftrainingyourmindtogainconcentration.Thenwhenyousitinmeditation,focusthemindonmorerefinedlevelsofstillness—forthesittingpostureallowsyoutobelessconcernedaboutkeepingthebodyinposition.Whenyou’restandingorwalking,youhavetopaymoreattentiontomaintainingyourposture.

Question:I’vehadsomepracticeindevelopinggoodwillandcompassion,butIdon’tknowhowtodevelopempatheticjoy.Doyouhaveanysuggestions?

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AjaanSuwat:Empatheticjoyisafeelingofhappinessatthegoodfortuneofothers.Whenotherpeoplearehappyorgainwealth,wewishthemwell.Wearen’tjealousorenviousofthem.Thisisaqualitywedeveloptogetridofthedefilementofenvy.Whenotherpeoplegaingoodfortune,wepracticefeelinghappyforthem.Ifwesufferfromthedefilementofenvy,wecan’tstandtoseeotherpeopledoingwellinlife.Wegetjealousbecausewefeelwe’rebetterthantheyare.ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustodevelopempatheticjoy.

Question:Isthereanytechniquefordevelopingempatheticjoy?

AjaanSuwat:Thetechniqueistospreadthisthoughttopeopleingeneral:“Ifanyoneissuffering,maytheyexperiencehappiness.Asforpeopleexperiencinghappiness,maytheymaintainthathappiness.Maytheynotbedeprivedofthegoodfortunethey’vegained,thewealththey’vegained,thestatusthey’vegained,thepraisethey’vegained,thehappinessthey’vegained.Maytheirhappinessincrease.”We’renotjealousoftheirhappinessandwedon’ttrytocompetewiththeminunderhandedways.TheBuddha’spurposeinteachingempatheticjoyissothatourmindswon’tbeconsumedwithenvyoverotherpeople’sgoodfortune.Whenwefeelnoenvytowardothersandcantrainourheartstoreachstillnessusingthisthemeasourpreoccupation,thenwe’vecompletedourtraininginempatheticjoy.Thephrasewerepeatwhenwechanteveryday—“Mayalllivingbeingsnotbedeprivedofthegoodfortunetheyhaveattained”—that’sempatheticjoy.

Question:WhenImeditateonmybreath,Inoticethatattheendofthein-breaththere’sabriefrest.Thesamethinghappensattheendoftheout-breath.Astimepasses,thismomentaryrestgrowslongerandlonger,andisverycomfortable.Isthistherightwaytopractice?

AjaanSuwat:Whenwe’remindful,wegettoseethingswe’veneverseenbefore,weexperiencethingswe’veneverexperiencedbefore,inawaythatwe’llneverforget.Amindthathasneverexperiencedpeaceandstillnesswillcometoexperiencepeaceandstillness.Amindthat’sneverbeenawarewillcometobeaware.Thisispartofcorrectlyfollowingtherightpath:youbeginbygettingthemindtoenterasubtlelevelofconcentration.Youshouldcontinuewhatyou’redoing,butdon’tgetcomplacent.Ifyourconcentrationisn’tyetsolid,itcandeteriorate.Soyoushouldtendtothemindthat’satstillnessandkeepitthere.Rememberhowyougotitthere.Keeppracticingcontinually,andyou’llfindthatthereareevenmorerefinedlevelsofthestillmind.Therearelevelsevenmorerefinedandpleasurablethanthis.Sodon’tcontentyourselfwithstoppingjust

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there.Seeifyoucanmakethestillnessandsenseofcomfortevenmorerefined.It’slikewalkingupthestairstoyourhouse.Thestairshavefivesteps:thefive

levelsofjhāna.Thefirsttimethemindreachesasubtlelevelofstillnessisthefirststep.Whenyouhaven’tyetstartedclimbingthestairs,youshouldcontentyourselfwithgettingtothefirststep.Butwhenyou’vereachedthefirststep,youshouldn’tcontentyourselfsimplywiththefactthatyou’vegottenupoffthegroundandstoprightthere—forthefirststepisn’tyourhouse.Soyoushouldremindyourselfofthefactthatit’snotyourhouse,youhaven’tyetreachedshelter,andthenlookforthesecondstep.Whenyou’vereachedthesecondstep,youshouldremindyourselfthatyoustillhaven’treachedshelter,soyouhavetotakethenextstep.

Inthesameway,whenyou’vereachedasubtlelevelofstillnessandexperiencedjustthislevelofpleasureandease,youshouldponderthiseasetoseethatit’snotyetconstant.Itcanstillchange.Therearestillhigherlevelsofease.Todayyou’vegottenthisfar;thenextstepwillbetokeepmovingupuntilyoureachgenuineease.

WhatI’veexplainedsofarshouldbeenoughfortoday.Talkingalotcangetyouconfused,foryou’restillnewtothistraining.Yourmemorycanhandleonlysomuch.Likestudentsjustbeginningtheirstudies:iftheystudyalotofadvancedmaterialandstuffitintotheirbrains,itwon’tallstaythere.

It’sthesamewhenwepracticemeditation.Yourmindfulnessanddiscernmentcantakeonlysomuch.Listentojustalittlebitandthenputitintopractice,soastostrengthenyourmindfulnessanddiscernment,soastostrengthenyourconcentration.Inthatwayyou’llbeabletotakeinmorerefinedlevelsofDhamma.AtthisstageIwantyoutostoplisteningandtogobacktolookatyourmind:isitwillingtoacceptthetraining?Isitabletofollowit?Orisitstillstubborn?Ifthemindisn’tyetwillingtoacceptandfollowthetraining,reasonwithituntilitis.Getthemindtoreachwhatyou’vebeenhearingabout,sothatitseestheresultsclearlywithinitself.Yourknowledgeonthislevelisn’tknowledgefromthemind.It’sknowledgefromconcepts.Asforthemind,ithasn’tyettakenthesethingsin.If,whenyoumeditate,youfindthatyourmindisstillrestlessanddistracted,unwillingtodowhatyouwantittodo,that’sasignthatithasn’tyetacceptedtheteachings.Soyouhavetoreasonwithitoverandoveragain.

If,ontheotherhand,youcanrememberonlyoneconceptbutcantrainthemindsothatitcantakeinthetruthofthatconcept,thenlearningaboutconceptsservesapurpose.Ifthemindisn’twillingtotakeinthetruthofthatconcept,thenknowingconceptsdoesn’tserveanypurpose.

SoI’llasktostoptoday’squestion-and-answersessionhere.

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INCONSTANCY

Question:Iwaswonderingifyoucouldexplaininconstancyandtheemptinessofthemind.

AjaanSuwat:Inconstancyisoneofthethreecharacteristics,ateachingonthelevelofinsightanddiscernment.

Thewordinconstancy(anicca),forthemostpart,isusedinconnectionwithfabrications(saṅkhāra):saṅkhāraaniccā—fabricationsareinconstant.Theword“fabrications”herecarriesaverybroadmeaningontheleveloftheoreticalDhamma,butintermsofthepracticeforgivingrisetodiscernment,“fabrications”meansthebodyandmind.Sowhileyoulistentothistalkoninconstancy,focusyourattentiononyourownbody,forit’ssomethingeasytoknowandtosee.ThenI’llexplainthechangesandinconstancyinit.

Whatisthepurposeofstudyinginconstancy?Thisissomethingweshouldlookinto.Studyinginconstancyhasmanybenefits.Inparticular,theBuddhataughtustobemindfulofthebody,mindfulofthefactthatoncethebodyisbornithastokeepchangingdayinanddayout.Thehappinessandpleasureswegetfromthebodyonadailybasisareinconstant.Iftheywereconstant,wewouldn’thavetolookforhappinessandpleasureanywhereelse.Butthefactisthatthepleasurewehave,assoonaswe’veexperienceditforawhile,givesout—regardlessofwhatkindofpleasureitis.ThisiswhytheBuddhasaysit’sinconstant:itrequiresustostirourselvestosearch,tostorethingsup.

Thethingswestirourselvestosearchfor:ifwegainthingsthataregood,thatwelike,wegetpossessive.Andwhentherearethingsweloveandlike,otherpeoplelikethem,too.Manypeoplewhoseewhatwehavewillwantitaswell.Thisgivesrisetocompetition,tocheatingandswindling,aspeopletrytogetwhattheywant.Fromthiscomeshatred,animosity,andvengeance.Thisshowstheinconstancywithinthebody,theconstantchangesinthehappinesswewant.Themindsuffersnegativeimpactsfromthepleasureandpainthataresuchaconfusingturmoilwithinit.

Whenwerealizethistruth,theBuddhataughtustodevelopthediscernmentneededtocomprehendit.Andhelaiddownanotherprinciple:natthisantiparaṁsukhaṁ—thereisnohappinesshigherthanpeace.ThepeacehereispeaceintheDhamma,thepeacethatcomesfrompracticingtheDhamma.Hepointedoutthatpeaceisthehighesthappinessandshowedusthepathtothatpeace,whichwe’repracticingrightnow:developingtranquilityandinsight,exercisingrestraintoverourwordsanddeeds,andtrainingourmind.

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Soweshouldturnintolookatourselves.Whenweunderstandthatthebodyandthepleasuresweexperienceareinconstant,themindstatethatusedtofeelattachment,thatusedtodeceiveitselfintothinkingthatitwasinpossessionofhappiness.…Wetrytochangethingssothatourpleasurewillbeconstant.Wedon’tseethedrawbacksofthesufferingwe’vebeenthrough.Delusionandmisunderstandingthusariseinthemindthathasn’tseenthepeaceofferingahappinessmoresubtleandrefinedthanwhatwe’regenerallyusedto.ThisiswhywehavetodependontheDhamma,dependonourconvictionintheBuddha.IfwelookatthefabricationsthattheBuddhasaidareinconstantandstressful,we’llseethatwhathesaidisreallytrue.Thepleasureswe’veexperienceddon’treallysuffice.Wehavetostudy,tolookforknowledge,tofindarefugemoredependablethanwhatwe’veknown.ThisiswhywehavetodependontheteachingsoftheBuddha.Whenwe’veheardthem,wetrainourmindstobestill,toletgo.Wehavetogiveourselvestheopportunitytomakeourmindsemptyandstill.

Whenwesaythemindisempty,thatmeansthatit’sdisengaged.It’snotrestlessanddistracted.Itdoesn’thavealotofpreoccupations.Thesameaswhenwedodemandingwork:ifwekeepatitalot,thebodygetstired.Whenit’stired,wedisengageitfromthework.Wesitdownorliedowntorest.Whenithasrestedatnormalcy,thetirednessgoesaway.Weregainourstrength.Whenwe’veregainedourstrength,wecanresumeourwork.Weseethatworkingusesupenergy.Whenourenergyisusedup,restinggathersenergy.Therestingispartofthepleasureandeasethatcomeswhenthebodyis“empty”:inotherwords,disengagedfromitswork.

It’sthesamewiththemind.Welookforhappinessallthetimebecausewewantpreciselythissenseofease.Whenthemindisn’temptyanddisengaged,wekeeplooking.Weshouldtrainthemindtobestill.Whenthemindisstill,hereinthissenseofawarenessitself,it’semptyanddisengaged.It’snotthinkingaboutanything.It’semptythroughitsstillness.Butwecan’tkeepitemptyandstilllikethisallthetime.Westillhaveouraggregates(khandha)ofclinging.Westillhaveoureyes,andthemindwantstoseethings.Westillhaveourears,nose,tongue,andbody.Therearestillsounds,smells,tastes,andtactilesensations.Westillhavefeelingsofpleasureandpain.Thesethingsarealwaysdisturbingus.SothisiswhytheBuddhateachesus,oncewe’vegottenthemindtosettledownandbestill,tocontemplatetheinconstancyofthebody.Thatwaywe’llcometounderstandthatthebodyisreallyinconstantandstressful.Aslongaswe’restillattachedtothebodyas“me”or“mine”,we’llhavetosufferfromaging,illness,anddeathatalltimes.

SoweshouldletgoofthesethingsandholdontotheDhamma,makingthemindstill.Thatwaywe’llgiverisetostillnessandease.We’llseethatthebodyisinconstant,agingandwastingaway;thatstressandsufferingarisebecauseofthis

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inconstancy.Ultimatelythewholebodyfallsapart.Whenitfallsapart,whatisitlike?Itgrowsputridanddecays.Itdoesn’tbelongtoanyone.ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustoyathā-bhūtaṁsammappaññāyadaṭṭhabbaṁ:toseethingsastheyarewithrightdiscernment,toletthemgo,tohavenoattachmenttotheaggregates,nottoviewthemasself.Whenthisisthecase,themindwon’tfeelanygreed,foritseesthatgreedservesnopurpose.Whenwe’veseenthistruth,theangerswe’vefeltinthepastwillgrowweaker.Knowledgewillariseintheplaceofourpastdelusions.Whenthemindcontemplatesanddevelopsdiscernmenttothepointwhereit’sableonceandforalltomakeitselfpure,totallyabandoningthedefilementsofgreed,anger,anddelusion—orpassion,aversion,anddelusion—thenthat’scalledamindtrulyempty:emptyofdefilement,emptyofgreed,anger,anddelusion,becauseit’snolongercarryinganythingaround.Ifyoucarrythings,they’reheavy.Theydefilethemind.Ifyoudon’tholdonandcarrythem,themindisempty.Pure.Itdoesn’thavetolookforanythingeveragain.

Thisemptinessofthemindcomesfromourunderstandinginconstancy.Soifyouaspiretothisemptiness,youshouldcontemplateinconstancytoseeitclearly,tomakeyourdiscernmentalertandwisetothetruth.Themind—whosedefilementsdependoninconstantthingstogiverisetogreed,anger,anddelusion—won’tbeabletogiverisetothemanymore,becauseit’sgrowndisenchanted.Itdoesn’twantthem.Itwillgrowemptyandenterintostillness.Themindisemptybecauseitsdefilementsaregone.

Tosummarize:thethreecharacteristicsofinconstancy,stress,andnot-selfexistonlyinthemindwithdefilements.Whenthemindhasthediscernmenttokilloffthedefilementsforgood,there’snothinginconstant,stressful,ornot-selfwithinit.That’swhyit’sempty.Asforourminds,atpresentthey’renotemptybecausetheyhaven’tbeenabletochasethedefilementsallout.Eventhoughwe’reabletodevelopmindfulnessandmeditatetothepointwhereweexperiencestillnessandease,that’sonlyalittlebitoftemporaryemptiness.Assoonasmindfulnesslapses,thingscomeintodisturbusalloveragain.That’sbecausewe’renotemptyofdefilement.

Theultimatedefilementisunawareness.Everydefilement,whetherblatant,moderate,orsubtle,hasunawarenessmixedinwithit.ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustotrainourmindstogiverisetoawareness,theopponentofunawareness.Whicheversideisstrongerwillwinoutandholdpoweroverthemind.Ifawarenesswinsout,thedefilementshavenoplacetostay.Ifunawarenesswinsout,there’snopeaceandease.Nopurity.Themindisn’tempty.Stressandsufferingarise.

Toknowtheunawarenessalreadyinthemindisawfullydifficult.It’slikeusingdarknesstoilluminatedarkness:youcan’tseeanything.Orliketwoblindpeopleleadingeachotheralong:they’llhaveahardtimeescapingfromdangersand

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reachingtheirgoal.Thisiswhywehavetodependonpeoplewithgoodeyes:inotherwords,mindfulnessanddiscernment.Thesearethecrucialfactorsthatwillleadustotheendofthepath.

Anexampleofhowwecanputmindfulnesstouse:supposewearen’tyetacquaintedwithanicca.Wedon’tknowwhereitis.Whenwehearthataniccareferstotheinconstancyofthefiveaggregates,beginningwithphysicalform,weapplymindfulnesstokeepingthesethingsinmind,toseeiftheyreallyareinconstant.Orsupposewefeelthatwegainpleasurefromholdingontothebodyasourself;wekeeponprovidingforitandfixingit,sothatwedon’tseeitsstressandinconstancy.Inthiswaywe’vegoneastrayfromtheBuddha’steachings.Soweusemindfulnesstokeepthebodyinmind.Forexample,we’remindfulofhair.Isourhairconstant?Doesitalwaysstaythesame,ornot?Thinkofthefirststrandofhairthatgrewonyourhead.Itwascutofflongago.Thehairwehavenowisnewhair.Itkeepschanging.Thefirststrandofhairnolongerservesusanypurpose.Wedon’tevenknowwhereit’sgone.Thisisonewayofcontemplatinginconstancy.

Asforanattā,ornot-self:thehairthat,inthepast,wethoughtwasours—whereisitnow?Ifwethinkinthiswaywe’llcometounderstandtheteachingonnot-self.IfwecontemplatethethingsthattheBuddhasaidarenot-self,we’llseethatwhathesaidisabsolutelytrue.We’llseethetruth,andourownmindiswhatseesthetruthinlinewithwhattheBuddhasaid:ourbodydoesn’thaveanyessence;itjustkeepssloughingaway.Andasforwhathesaidaboutthebody’sbeingunclean:whenitdies,noonecandressituptomakeitreallyclean.Assoonasitfallsdowndead,everyonedetestsit.Whenwereflectmoreandmoreprofoundlyonthis,themindwillcometoacceptthatwhattheBuddhataughtisthegenuinetruth.Whenthemindacceptsthis,itsignorancewillgraduallydisappear.Discernment—knowledgeinlinewiththeBuddha’steachings—willgraduallytakeshapeinourminds.

Sowhenthemindcontemplateshairprofoundlyuntilitknowsthetruthanditsignorancedisappears,knowledge—beginningwithknowledgeaboutthetruenatureofourhair—willarise.Theunawarenesswithwhichweclungtothehairasusorours,seeingitasbeautiful,dressingitupwithperfumes,makingitlovelyandattractive:we’llseethatallthatwasanactofself-delusion.Ifthetruenatureofthesethingswasreallygood,wewouldn’thavetodoanyofthat,foritwouldalreadybegood.It’sbecauseit’snotgoodthatwehavetomakeitgood.That’sonewayinwhichourownviewshavedeludedus.TheBuddhatoldustoknowthetruthofthismattersothatthemindwillbeabletoletgo.Whenthemindletsgo,allitsdefilementslightenanddisappearbecauseourviewsareright.Defilementsarisebecauseofwrongviews,becauseofignoranceorunawarenessofthetruth.Ignorancegivesrisetodelusionandmistakenassumptions,whichturnintowrong

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views.Thisiswhywehavetomakeanefforttogiverisetoawareness.Forexample,supposewearen’tawarethatthehair,nails,teeth,skin,flesh,

tendons,bonesinourbodyarecomposedofthepropertiesofearth,water,wind,andfire.Actually,thisphysicalformofoursisnothingmorethanthefourproperties.Thewaterpropertyincludesalltheliquidpartsofthebody,suchasbile,phlegm,lymph,mucus,urine,blood,fat,oil.Theearthpropertyincludesallthehardandsolidparts,suchashairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin,flesh,tendons,bones,bonemarrow,etc.Thewindpropertyincludesthebreath,thebreathenergyinthestomach,theenergythatrisesupinthebody,theenergythatgoesdown,theenergythatflowsalloverthebody.Thefirepropertyincludesthewarmththatkeepsthebodyfromdecaying,thewarmththathelpswiththedigestion,andthewarmththatkeepsthebodyaliveattherighttemperature.Altogether,thebodyisnothingbutthesefourproperties.Whenwedon’trealizethis,that’scalledunawareness.Wearen’tacquaintedwiththebody,theaggregates.Whenwelearnaboutthis,awarenesscanbegintoarise.

Thisiswhywe’retaughttocontemplatethepartsofthebody:kesā,hairofthehead;lomā,hairofthebody;nakhā,nails;dantā,teeth;taco,skin.Newmonksaretaughtthesethingsfromtheverydayoftheirordinationsothattheycaneliminateunawarenessandgiverisetoawarenessthroughthelightofmindfulnessanddiscernment.Iaskthatyoudevelopalotofmindfulnessanddiscernmentinthisareasothatyourmindswillreachtheemptinessandfreedomyouwant.

Discernmentheremeanstheawarenessthatcomesfromstudyingthefiveaggregates.Nootherknowledgecandestroythisdefilementofunawareness.Sowhenyouwanttodestroythedefilementofunawareness,youhavetocarefullystudythefiveaggregates,beginningwiththebody,untilyouseethefournobletruthsrighthereinthefiveaggregates.Actually,thefiveaggregatesarethingswhosetruenatureiswellwithinourpowertostudyandknow.Firstthere’stheaggregateofform,orthephysicalbody.Thentherearethementalaggregates:feeling,perception,mentalfabrications,andconsciousness.Thesearethingswecanknow.Wehavetostudyandpracticesothatwecanknowallfourofthesementalaggregatesinlinewiththeirtruenature.Eachoftheseaggregatescoversalotofaspects.Forinstance,physicalform:yaṅkiñcirūpaṁatītānāgata-paccuppannaṁajjhattaṁvābahiddhāvā—thereareallkindsofformsthatcanfoolanddeludeus:internalandexternal;blatantandsubtle;past,present,andfuture.Butwheninsightarisesinfullstrength,it’llshowusthewaytoseewithoutmuchdifficulty.Allthat’sneededisthatyoufirststartwiththebasicmeditationthemes,suchasthehairofthehead,andseethemclearlyinlinewiththeirnature.Thendiscernmentwillgraduallyarise.

Doyouunderstandthis?YoucansaythattheDhammaissubtle,butyoucanalsosaythatit’srightherewithinus,withinourownbodies.AllthethingsI’ve

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discussedhere:whenyouhaven’tyetputthemintopracticebutwouldliketoseethesetruths,youshouldn’tletmindfulnesswanderoutsidethebody.Contemplatethingsinlinewiththeirtruenature.Don’tletprejudicegetintheway.RemindyourselfthatthisistheDhamma.

That’senoughexplanationfornow.Whenyoustudythingsbutdon’tputthemintopractice,yourknowledgedoesn’tgetyouanywhere.Sonowthatyouknowthepath,I’dlikeyoutofocusyourintentiononpracticingalot.I’llasktostopheresothatyoucanputyourknowledgeintopracticeandbenefitfromit.

Mayyouallmeetwithwellbeing.

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“THISBODYOFMINE”

WHENMEDITATORS’MINDShavereachedgenuinehappinessintheDhammathroughtheirmindfulnessanddiscernment,clearlyseeingthefournobletruths,noneofthem—notone—willreverttolookingforhappinessintheworldorinmaterialthings.That’sbecausehappinessintheDhammaisalastinghappiness:solid,refined,andgenuinelypure.IfyoucompareworldlyhappinesswiththehappinessoftheDhamma,you’llseethatthere’snoteventheleastrealhappinesstoit.Itoffersnothingbutstress,nothingbutdrawbacks.Sowhydowethinkit’shappiness?Becausewe’reburningwithpain.Welooktoworldlyhappinessandpleasurestorelievethepain,whichthengoesawayforawhilebutthencomesbackagain.

Forinstance,theBuddhasaidthatbirthisstress,butordinarypeopleregarditassomethinghappy.Wedon’tseethestressandpaininvolved.YetoncethemindhasreachedthehappinessoftheDhamma,itcanseethatbirthisreallystressful,justastheBuddhasaid.Thereasonwehavetolookafterourselves,takecareofourselves,andstillcan’tfindanypeace,isbecausethesethingsthathavebeenborncometodisturbus.Wesitdownandgetsomepleasureandeasefromsittingdown,butafterawhileitbecomespainful.Wesaythatit’spleasanttoliedown,butthat’strueonlyattheverybeginning.Afterwe’velaindownforalongtime,itbeginstogetunpleasant.Sowehavetokeepchangingposturesinordertogainpleasure.Welookforthisthingorthat,butassoonaswe’vegainedjustalittlepleasurefromthem,stressandpaincomeintheirwake.Ifwehaveafamilyandhometolivepleasantlytogether,thereareonlylittlepleasures,whichhaveusfooledanddeceived,whiletherearehundredsandthousandsofunpleasantthings.Thehappinessandpleasurethatcomefromexternalthings,materialthings,isneverenough.Itkeepswearingaway,wearingaway,andwearingusout,tonopurposeatall.ThisiswhythosewhohavereachedtheDhammadon’treturntothisworldsofilledwithsorrowsandturmoil.

AndthisiswhyIwantyoutoputaneffortintomeditating,contemplatinginlinewiththeDhamma.Evenifyouaren’tyetconvincedoftheDhamma,atleasttaketheteachingsoftheBuddhaasyourworkingprinciples.Forexample,whentheBuddhateachesaboutthethreecharacteristicsofinconstancy,stress,andnot-self,weshouldtrainourmindstoseeinlinewithwhathesaid.Givehimatry.Forexample,hesaysthatthisbodyofoursisfilledwithallsortsofuncleanthings.Wemaynotagree,butatleastgiveitatrytoseewhathappenswhenyoulookatthingsinlinewithwhathesays.Hesaysit’snotclean.Atthiimasmiṁkāye—inthisbodythereis:hairofthehead,andit’snotclean;hairofthebody,andit’s

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unclean;nails,andthey’renotclean.Don’tbeinahurrytorejecttheBuddha’steachings.Takealooktoseewhetherthesethingsreallyareuncleanornot.Whenthemindfocusesonthesethingsmoreandmoresteadily,andbeginstofeelquietandatease,thetruthofthesethingswillgraduallyappearmoreandmoreclearly.ConvictionintheDhamma,inthepractice,willarise.Energywillariseaswewanttoseemore.Asthisawarenessgrowsgreater,themindwillgrowmoreluminousandstill.Thisisthewayofthepractice.Whenyougobackhome,rememberthissimpleprinciple:practicemeditationbyobservingyourbody,observingyourmind.

Useyourmindfulnesstokeeptrackofthebodyinandofitself,soastoknowitinlinewithitstruth.Ifyoudon’tlookatthebody,thenlookatthemindinandofitself.Whenyouobservethemovementsofthebodyandmind,thepleasuresandpainsthatarisesooften,you’lldevelopawarenessandskill.You’lllearnhowtohandlethingsinlinewiththeBuddha’steachings.You’llgainthediscernmentthatseesandknowsthetruth.You’llseethingsmoreandmoreclearly.Themoreclearlyyouseethings,thestrongerandquieterthemindwillgrow.You’llseethebodyasstressfulandunclean,butyou’llhavetolookafterthemind,keepingyourselfwisetothefactthatthestressanduncleanlinessareanaffairofthebody,notofthemind.

Thebodyhasbeenuncleanallalong.We’velivedwithitallthistime,sothere’snoneedtobeafraidofseeingthesethings,noneedtorejectthem.Weshouldcontemplatethebodysoastogiverisetoasenseofchasteneddispassion.Whenyouletgoofthebody,letgoinadiscerningway.Don’tletgoinawayinwhichdelusionandmisunderstandingovercomethemind.Don’tgetdisgustedwiththebodysothatthemindbecomesrestlessandagitatedandstopsmeditating.Thatkindofdislikeiswrong.Whenwelookatthingswedon’tlike—suchastheinconstancy,thestressfulness,andtheunattractivenessofthebody—rememberthatthey’repartofthenobletruths.TheBuddhasaidthatthey’reverybeneficial.Contemplatingtheunattractivenessofthebodyisverybeneficialbecauseitservesanimportantpurpose.Ifweseethebodyproperlyinthisway,ithelpsthemindgrowstillwithasenseofdisenchantment.Andthat’swhatwillcureourdelusionsandmisunderstandings.Thisiswhy,whenordainingamonk,theveryfirststepistoteachhimthefivemeditationthemes—kesā,hairofthehead;lomā,hairofthebody;nakhā,nails;dantā,teeth;taco,skin—asawayofdevelopingdiscernmentandknowledgeofthetruth.

Soholdontothesethemesandkeepcontemplatingthem,regardlessofwhetherthemindisstillornot.Wheneveryouhaveanyfreetime,contemplatethem.Youcancontemplatethemevenwhileyou’reworking.Contemplatethemuntilyougetdowntotheminutedetailsinawaythatgivesrisetoasenseofstillnessandease.

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It’ssimilartowhenwedophysicalwork.Wegetwagesforeachhourwework.Themorehourswework,thehigherourpay.Butifyougetgreedyandkeepworkingwithoutrest,thenthebodywearsout,themindgrowsweak,andyoucan’tworkanymore.Soyouhavetorestandeattoregainthestrengthofyourbodyandnerves.Eventhoughyoudon’tgetpaidforthetimeyourest,you’rewillingtotakethelossforthesakeofyourstrengthofbodyandmind,sothatyoucancontendwiththeworkafteryou’verested.

It’sthesamewhenyoumeditate:ifyoujustkeepcontemplatingandinvestigating,itwon’tbelongbeforethemindgetsrestlessandagitated.Soyouhavetobringthemindtostillnesstoavoiditsgettingrestless.Ifitgetsrestless,it’llhavenopeace.It’llgetalltiedupinknotsandwillgrowwearyofthemeditation.Socontemplateforawhileuntilyoucansensethatthemindwantstostopandrest;thenfocusbackonthein-and-outbreathoranythingelsethatwillserveasagatheringpointforthemind.Graduallyletgoofyourcontemplation,graduallyletthemindsettledown,soastogainstrengthfromthesenseofpleasureandeasethatcomeinthisway.Don’tworryabouthowlongyoushouldstaythere.Eventhoughtheminddoesn’tseemtobegaininganyknowledge,don’tworryaboutit.It’saswhenyou’rerestingfromphysicallabor:eventhoughyourbossdoesn’tgiveyouanythingforthehouryourest,you’rewillingforthesakeofgainingenergy—inthiscase,strengthofmind.

Thisiswhythenobledisciplesconstantlypracticeconcentration,constantlygetthemindtosettledown.Afterthey’vecontemplatedtothepointwherethemindgetsweary,theyletthemindgrowstill.Afterit’shadenoughstillness,theygobacktotheircontemplation.Thisishowweshouldpractice.Ifwepracticeinthisway,themindwillgainenergyandstrength,willgaindiscernmenttotheendpointofallsufferingandstress,seeingthingsforwhattheyactuallyare.Thequestionaskedtheotherday—howtopracticewhenyougobackhome—wasaverygoodquestion.Theansweris:keeplookingafteryourmindinthewayI’vedescribedhere.Practiceexercisingyourownmindfulnessanddiscernment.

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KARMA

Question:You’vespokenofthefivetopicsthatshouldbecontemplatedeveryday:thatwe’resubjecttoaging,subjecttoillness,subjecttodeath,subjecttoseparationfromthethingsandpeoplewelove,andthatwe’retheownersofourkarma.Thisfifthtopicisthemostdifficultofthefivetounderstand.Iwaswonderingifyoucouldexplainkarma,andinparticulartheroleofmindfulnessatthemomentofdeath.

AjaanSuwat:Listencarefully.I’mgoingtoexplainkarmainlinewiththeprinciplesoftheBuddha’sAwakening.WhentheBuddhaexplainedkarma,hedidsoinlinewithoneoftheknowledgesheattainedonthenightofhisAwakening:recollectionofpastlives.InbecomingtheBuddha,itwasn’tthecasethathehadbeenbornonlyonceandhadpracticedonlyonelifetimebeforeattainingAwakening.Hehadbeendevelopinghisgoodness,hisperfections,formanylifetimes.ThatwashowhehadbeenabletobuilduphisdiscernmentcontinuallyoverthecourseoftimetothepointwherehecouldawakentothesubtleDhammasohardforanyonetorecollect,sohardforanyonetoawakento.Hehadbeendevelopinghismindfulnessuntilitwasfullypowerful,hisdiscernmentuntilitwasfullypowerful,sothathecouldcometoknowthetruth.Forthisreason,ourunderstandingofkarmahastodependbothonourstudyandonourpractice,trainingourownmindsastheBuddhadidsoastogaindiscernmentstepbystep.

WhentheBuddhaspokeaboutkarmaafterhisAwakeningtothetruth,hewasreferringtoaction.There’sphysicalkarma,i.e.,theactionsofthebody;verbalkarma,theactionsofspeech;andmentalkarma,theactionsofthemind.Allhumanbeings,alllivingbeings,experiencegoodthingsandbad,pleasureandpain,fromkarma—theirownactions.

Karmaissomethingverysubtle.Whenyouaskaboutrebirthandhowyou’llexperiencepleasureandpaininfuturelives,youshouldfirststudykarmainyourpresentlife,youractionsinyourpresentlife.Understandyouractionsinthepresentlifeclearly.Onceyouunderstandthem,onceyouknowthetruthofactioninthepresent,thenwhenyoutrainthemindfurtheryou’llgraduallycometotheendofyourdoubts.There’snoonewhohaseverresolveddoubtsaboutrebirthsimplythroughreadingorhearingthespokenword.Evenamongthosewho’vepracticedalongtime:iftheirdiscernmentisn’tuptothetask,they’llstillhavetheirsameolddoubts.Thetextstellusthatdoubtisendedonlywiththeattainmentofthefirstofthenoblepaths,calledstreamentry.Stream-enterershavecutawaythreedefilements:self-identityviews,doubt,andattachmentto

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habitsandpractices.Whenthediscernmentofthenoblepatharises,knowledgeofbirthanddeath,rebirthandredeath,arisestogetherwithit.Asforourcurrentlevelofdiscernment:ifwewanttoknowaboutthesethings,weneedtodothepreliminarywork.Weneedtostudythenatureofactioninthepresent.SotodayIwon’tspeakoffuturelifetimes.I’llteachaboutthethreekindsofaction—physicalaction,verbalaction,andmentalaction—inthepresent.

Thesethreekindsofactionaredividedintotwosorts:goodandbad.Badactionsgiverisetosuffering.Goodactionsgiverisetogoodresults:happiness,prosperity,mindfulness,anddiscernment,bothinthepresentandonintofuturedays,futuremonths,futureyears.

Badactionsarecalledunskillfulkarma.TheBuddhataughtthatweshouldabandonthiskindofkarma.Intheareaofphysicalaction,thatincludestormentingandkillinglivingbeings,whetherlargeorsmall.Thiskindofactionisunskillfulbecauseitlacksgoodwillandcompassion.Alllivingbeingslovetheirlife.Ifwekillthem,it’sunskillfulbecausewehavenocompassion,nopity,noregardfortheirlives.ThisiswhytheBuddhatoldusnottodoit.Ifwekillotherhumanbeings,wegetpunishedinthepresentbothbythecivillawandbytheDhamma.

Thesethreethings—killing,stealing,andillicitsex—areallcalledunskillfulphysicalkarma.WeshouldcontemplatethemtoseewhytheBuddhatoldusnottodothem.Whenwe’vecontemplatedthem,we’llseethattheyreallyaren’tgoodthingstodobecausewewouldn’twantanyonetodothemtous.Forexample,thewealththatwe’veearnedissomethingwe’repossessiveof.It’ssomethingwewanttouseaswelike.Ifsomeoneweretostealitfromusorcheatusoutofit,thenevenifthatpersonusedtobeourfriend,that’stheendofthefriendship.Wecan’tlivewiththatpersonanylonger.We’resuretohaveaquarrelandafallingout.Thatpersonmightevenhavetogotojailforthetheft.Thisiscrudekarma,thekindwhoseresultsarevisibleintheimmediatepresent.

Thesameholdstruewiththethirdprecept.Oncewe’vedecidedtogetmarried,tolivewithanotherperson,thenifthatpersoncheatsonus,thinkofhowmuchsufferingtherewillbeforbothsides.Peoplewhowantpeaceorwhoareestablishedinmoralitywon’tpraisetheotherpersonasbeingagoodperson.AllofthesethingsareunskillfulphysicalactionsthattheBuddhataughtustoabandon.

Asforverbalkarma,therearefourkindsofunskillfulaction:lying,divisivespeech,harshspeech,andidlechatter.Andintheareaofmentalkarma,therearethree:greed,illwill,andwrongviews.

Whoeverdoesanyofthesetenkindsofunskillfulactions—thethreekindsofunskillfulphysicalkarma,thefourkindsofunskillfulverbalkarma,andthethree

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kindsofunskillfulmentalkarma—isanunskillfulperson.Thisiswhywe’retaughtthatwe’retheownersofouractions.Ifweactinthesemistakenways,webecomemistakenpeople.We’retheoneswhoaredefiledbythoseactions:nooneelseisdefiledbywhatwedo.Thisiswhywe’retaughttoreflecteverydaythatwe’retheownerofouractions.Ifwedosomethingbad,webecomebadpeopleandwehavetoreapthebadresults,thesufferingthatarisesfromthataction.That’swhywe’retaughtthatwe’retheheirstoouractions.Ifwedon’tabandonthoseactions,ifwekeepdoingthemoften,theresultsofthoseactionswillfollowuswhereverwego.There’snowaywecanberegardedasgoodpeople.Thisiswhywe’retaughtthatwe’refollowedbyouractions.Whereverwego,ifwedon’tgiveupthatkindofbehaviorwe’llbemistrustedbysociety.

ThereasontheBuddhahasusreflectonthesethings—thatwe’retheownersofouractions,heirstoouractions,followedbyouractions—issothatwe’llpayattentiontoouractionseveryday,sothatwe’llseethemclearlyforwhattheyare.Ifwedon’tclearlyseethenatureandresultsofouractions,weshouldcontemplatethemfurther.Whydoeskillingresultinsuffering?Whenapersonkills,whyisthatpersonabadperson?Thesameholdstruewithstealingandillicitsex.Ifweexaminetheseactionscarefully,makingourmindsimpartialandfair,we’llseethattheseactionsreallyarebad.Theyreallyresultinsuffering.We’llseeforourselvesinlinewithwhattheBuddhataught.Wedon’thavetolookatanyoneelse.Wejustlookatourselves.Ifweseethatwhatwe’redoingisn’tgood,thenwhenotherpeopledothesamethings,thesameholdstrueforthem.Whoeverdoesthesethingsisabadperson.Ifalotofpeopledothesethings,thenthere’stroubleforalotofpeople.Ifeveryoneintheworldweretodothesethings,thewholeworldwouldbetroubled.Thepeaceandhappinesstheworlddoesexperiencecomestotallyfromthegoodactionsofgoodpeople.

Thetenthingswe’vebeentalkingaboutarekarmaontheunskillfulside,buttherearealsotenkindsofskillfulkarma—threephysical,fourverbal,andthreemental—injustthesameway.Thesearetheactionsthatbringushappinessandprosperity.Intermsofthethreekindsofskillfulphysicalkarma,weuseourdiscernmentandcompassiontoconsiderthings.Wehavecompassionforanimalsthatareabouttobekilled.Ifweseesomethingbelongingtosomeoneelsethatwe’dlike,wehavecompassionforthemsothatwewouldn’twanttostealthatthingorcheattheotherpersonoutofit.Ifweseeanopportunityforsomeillicitsex,wereflectonthefactthatwe’realreadymarriedandshouldhaveonlyoneheart,onelove.Weshouldhavecompassionforthepersonwelivewith.Ifwecheatonthatperson,we’llcreatesufferingforhimorher.Havingonlyoneheart,onelove,ismeritorious,foritallowsustolivetogetherforlife.Soifwelearntoabandonthepleasuresthatcomefromtakinglife,stealing,andillicitsex,webenefit.Webecomegoodpeople.Societydoesn’tmistrustus.Thesocietyofgood

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peoplerecognizesusasgoodpeople,ascleanpeople,pureinbodybecauseourvirtuesarepure.Thisiswherepuritycomesfrom.

Tosavetime,I’llcondensetheremainderofthediscussion.Thetenkindsofskillfulactionsaretheoppositeofthetenkindsofunskillfulones.Intermsofthethreekindsofskillfulphysicalkarma,weabstainfromthethreekindsofunskillfulkarma.Weresolvenottodothem,andwefollowthroughabsolutelyinlinewiththatresolve.Thesameholdsforthefourkindsofskillfulverbalkarma.Weresolvefirmlynottolie,nottoengageindivisivespeech,inharshspeech,oridlechatter.Wealsoresolvenottobegreedy,nottofeelillwillforanyone,andtostraightenoutourviews—i.e.,toholdtotheprincipleofkarma,seeingthatifwedogood,we’llbecomegood;ifwedobad,we’llbecomebad.Whenweseethingsinthisway,ourviewsarerightinlinewiththetruth.

Unskillfulactionscomefromthemind’sbeingaffectedbythedefilementsofgreed,anger,anddelusion.Peoplekillandstealoutofgreed,engageinillicitsexoutofgreed,stealorkilloutofanger.Sometimestheyengageinillicitsexoutofanger,asawayofgettingeven.Sometimestheydothesethingsoutofdelusion,aswhenthey’retrickedintodoingthemalongwithotherpeople.That’swhythesethreedefilements—greed,anger,anddelusion—aresoimportant.Andthisiswhywedevelopmindfulness,sothatwe’llseehowthesethreedefilementsaretherootofunskillfulness.Iftheyarise,theycancauseustomisbehaveinvariousways,toengageinunskillfulkarma.Sowhentheyarise,wehavetouseourdiscernmenttoholdthemincheck.

Asforskillfulmentalstates,whenweunderstandhowunskillfulnesscomesfromthesethreedefilements—whenwe’veheardtheseteachingsandconsideredthemonourown—themindcomestofeelshameattheideaofmisbehavinginanyofthoseways.Itrealizeswhytheyshouldn’tbedone.Italsodevelopsasenseofcompunction,realizingthatifwedothosethings,we’llbecomebadpeople.Ourfriends—anyonewhoknowsus—willcriticizeus,won’twanttoassociatewithus,willdespiseus.Whenwefeelthiskindofdread,wecanabandonthosethings.

Sowhenourdiscernmentreachesthestagewherewehavethissenseofshameandcompunction,whenweresolvenottodowrongintermsofourphysical,verbal,andmentalkarma,thenskillfulmentalstateshavearisenwithinus.Thesestateswillthenleadustodoallsortsofgood.We’llfeelcompassionforothers.We’llwanttohelpthem.Thisinturnbecomesoneofourperfections,causingotherpeople,otherbeings,toloveusinreturn.Thehappinessthatcomesfromthisgoodnessiscalledmerit(puñña).Whenwehaveasenseofshameandcompunction,weexerciserestraintoverourphysicalactionssothatwedon’tdoanythingwrong.Thismeansthatourbodyispure.Weexerciserestraintoverourspeech,notbreakingourprecepts,andinthiswayourspeechispure.Weexerciserestraintoverthemind,andinthiswayourmindispure.Whenweexercise

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restraintanddon’tdoanythingwrong,we’llknowforourselvesthatwe’regoodpeople—goodbecausewhatwedoisgood.

Asforthegoodthingsthatcomefromdoinggood:ourfriendswillloveus,peopletrustus,weposenothreattoanyoneanywhere.Peoplearehappytowelcomeusintotheirsociety.Whenweactinthisway,we’renotmistrustedwhereverwego.Thus,whenwedogood,thatgoodkarmaisours.We’llbeskillfulpeople.Ifotherpeopledogood,thatgoodkarmaistheirs.Asforpeoplewhodon’trestrainthemselvesinthisway,theydon’thaveashareinthatgoodness.ThisiswhytheBuddhasaidthatwe’retheownersofouractions.

Ifwedogood,we’llexperiencegoodresults.Ifwekeepdoinggood,thatgoodnesswillkeepfollowinguswhereverwego.Forexample,ifamonkobserveshisprecepts,exercisesrestraintoverhiswordsanddeedsinThailand,thepeoplethererecognizehimasagoodperson.WhenhecomestoAmerica,weseethathe’sagoodpersonwhoposesnodangertous.Thesameholdstruewithus.Ifwebehaveinaskillfulway,we’regoodpeople.IfwegotoThailand,thepeopletherewillwelcomeus.Whereverwego,peoplewillwelcomeus.It’swhenwedoevilthatpeoplewanttokeepusout.

SowecanseeclearlyinlinewithwhattheBuddhasaid:livingbeingsarewhattheyareinlinewiththeiractions.Ifwedogood,we’regoodpeopleandexperiencehappiness.Societywelcomesus.Wehelpbringpleasuretotheworld.Whenweseethegoodwe’vedone,we’llfeelhappywithourselves.Esteemforourselves.Wecanguaranteeourownpurity.Whereverwego,wecangowithconfidence,fortherearenohiddenweakpointsinourbehaviororhearts.We’renotafraidofbeingfoundoutforanything,forwehavenothingtohide.It’sbecauseofourpuritythatwecanbeconfidentandbrave.Whereverwego,weknowthatgoodpeoplewillwelcomeus.

Moreover,wecanhelpthembecomebetterpeople,too.Theycantakeusasanexample,andinthiswayweserveabeneficialpurpose.Theactivitiesofgoodpeoplearemuchmorebeneficialthanthoseofpeoplewhoaren’tgood.Thisisbecausetheirmindstendtowardself-sacrificeforthesakeoftheworld,thesakeofthecommongood.Inthiswaytheywinhonor,praise,wealth,andhappiness.Societyspreadstheirnamefarandwideforthegoodnessthey’vedone.

Nowthatyou’veheardaboutthepleasureandpainthatcomeinthepresentfromgoodandbadkarmawe’vedone,doyouunderstandwhatI’vesaid?Doyouagree?

Question:Whataboutwhenyou’reabouttodie?What’stheinfluenceofthekarmayou’vedone?Andwhat’stheroleofmindfulnessatthatpoint?

AjaanSuwat:I’mnotyettalkingaboutdeath.I’mtalkingaboutthepresentto

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makesurethatwefirstunderstandthepresent.Mindfulnessatthepointofdeath,though,isrelatedtopresentkarma.It’sa

formofskillfulkarma.Ifwe’vedonegood,thenourmindfulnesswillhavethestrengthtorecollectthegoodnesswe’vedone.

Normally,whenpeopleareabouttodie,twokindsofsignscanappear.Thefirstisakarma-sign(kamma-nimitta),dealingwithactionsthey’vedoneinthepast.Ifapersonhasdoneevil,thentheremaybeasignmakinghimrelivethataction.WhenIwasachild,therewasamaninthevillagewhohadslaughteredalotofcattle.Whenhewasabouttodie,hestartedscreamingandsoundedjustlikeacowbeingslaughtered.Thisiscalledasignofunskillfulkarma.Thepersonrelivesthekarmahedid,althoughthistimeit’sbeingdonetohim:inthecaseofthemanwhoslaughteredcattle,heseessomeonecomingtokillhim.Whenthatsortofvisionappears,themindwillfallinlinewithitandbereborninastateofdeprivationtosuffertheconsequencesofitsevildeeds.

Thesecondkindofsignisadestination-sign(gati-nimitta).Youseewhereyou’regoing.Youmayseehell,therealmofthehungryghosts—everywhereyoulookyouseethingscorrespondingtothebadthingsyou’vedone.Ifyoudieatthatpoint,themindwillgotothatsortofdestination.

Enoughofthesebadthings.Let’stalkaboutsomegoodones,allright?Ifyou’vedonegoodthingsandskillfulthings,thenwhenyou’reabouttodie…

Especiallyifyou’vepracticedmeditationandattainedjhāna,thenwhenyou’reabouttodiethemindcanenteroneoftherūpajhānasandberebornontheleveloftherūpabrahmās.Ifyou’veattainedanyofthearūpajhānas,thenyoucanenterjhānaandreachthelevelsofthearūpabrahmās,inlinewiththemind’sstrength.

Asformoreordinarylevelsofskillfulness—calledkāmāvacara-kusala,skillfulnessonthesensuallevel—aswhenyoupracticegenerosity,observetheprecepts,andmeditate,abstainingfromthetenformsofunskillfulkarmawe’vementioned:whenyou’reabouttodie,akarma-signwillariseandyou’llremembermeditatinginthepast.You’llfindyourselfmeditatingagain,beingmindful,gainingthesamesenseofeaseyouhadbefore.Themindthenholdsontoitsconcentrationandexperiencesrebirthinapleasurabledirectioninoneofthegooddestinations.

Oryoumayrememberthehappinessyoufeltindoinggood—payingrespecttotheBuddha,lightingcandlesandincense,givingdonationsinonewayoranother.Youmaygetakarma-signthatyou’redoingthosethingsagaintogetherwithyourfriends,inthesamewayaswe’remeditatingtogetherhere:payingrespecttotheBuddha,sittinginmeditation,doingwalkingmeditation.Ifyoupassawayatthatmoment,themindwillexperiencebirthinoneofthegooddestinations.Inthisway,whateveractionsyoudidinthecourseofyourlifewill

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appeartoyou—asifyou’redoingthemagain—asyou’reaboutdie.Asforthegooddestination-signs,youmayseegoldandsilverpalaces,riches,

thingsthatdelightyouandgiveyoupleasure,thingscorrespondingtotheskillfulthingsyou’vedone.Ifyoudieatthatpoint,you’llgotoagooddestination.

There’sastoryintheDhammapadaCommentaryaboutaveryvirtuouslaydisciplewholikedtolistentotheDhammaandmadeapracticeofgenerosity,virtue,andmeditation.Ashegrewolderandwasonhisdeathbed,heaskedhischildrentoinvitesomemonkstocomerecitesomesuttastohim.Asthemonkswerechanting—mostlikelytheMaṅgalaSutta,theGirimānandaSutta,ortheSatipaṭṭhānaSutta—devasfromallthevariousdirectionscamewiththeirroyalchariotstotakethelaydisciplebacktotheirdifferentheavens.Thisonesaid,“Comewithme.”Thatonesaid,“No,comewithme.”Sothedevasstartedfightingoverhim.

Thelaydisciple,seeingthis,said,“Stop!”Assoonashesaidthat,themonks—whodidn’tseethedevas—stoppedchantingandwentbacktotheirmonastery.Soonafter,thelaymanaskedhischildren,“Whathappenedtoallthemonks?”Thechildrenanswered,“Well,youtoldthemtostop,sotheystoppedchantingandwentbacktothemonastery.”“No,”thelaydisciplesaid,“Ididn’ttellthemtostop.Itoldthedevastostopfighting.”Thechildrendidn’tbelievehimthatanydevashadcome.Alltheycouldthinkwasthathewaslosinghismind.Heinsisted,though,thatthedevashadcometowelcomehimtotheirheavens.“Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,takethatgarlandandthrowitintheair.”Sotheythrewthegarlandintheair,anditcaughtontheedgeofoneofthedevas’chariotsasitwasabouttoleave.Thechildrendidn’tseethechariot,alltheycouldseewasthegarlandwhizzingthroughtheair.Theonlypersonwhocouldseethedevaswastheirfather.

Thisisoneoftherewardsofactingskillfully,orservingausefulpurposeinlife.Whenyou’reabouttodie,thedevascometotakeyoutotheirheavens.Theywantyoutojointhem—forthere’shappinessinlivingwithwisepeople,inassociatingwithpeoplewhoaregood.

Inshort,thethreetypesofskillfulnessthatleadtoagooddestinationaredānamaya,generosity,helpingotherpeopletoliveinpleasureandhappiness;sīlamaya,virtue,observingthefivepreceptsandtenformsofskillfulaction;andbhāvanāmaya,meditation,developingthemind.Iaskthatyouhaveconvictioninmeditation,thatyousetyourmindsondoingit.Whetherornotyourmindssettledowndoesn’treallymatter.Evenifyoudon’tgainreleasefromsufferinginthislifetime,you’redevelopinggoodhabitsthatwillactassupportingconditionsinfuturelifetimes.Therewardofyourmeditationisthatyou’llbemindful,discerning,andintelligent.You’lllivelongandfeelmentalwellbeing.IfyougettoheartheDhammainthefuture,you’llmoreeasilygainAwakening.Theseare

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someoftherewardsofmeditating.Sodon’tletyourselvesgrowwearyofthemeditation.Don’ttellyourselvesthat

youdon’tgetanythingfromdoingit.Attheveryleast,yougainskillfulnessonthesensuallevel;youdevelopawareness,understanding,andintelligenceassupportingconditionsforyourfuturehappiness,bothinthislifeandonintothenext.

That’senoughexplanationfornow.Mayeachandeveryoneofyoumeetwithpeaceandprosperity.

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FISTFULOFSAND

THEBUDDHATAUGHTnothingbutthetruth.Ifsomethingwasn’ttrue,hewouldn’tsayit.HetaughttheDhammainsuchawaythatanyonewhocontemplateditcouldconfirmwhathewassaying.Iftherewerethingsthatotherpeople,onconsideration,couldn’tseeorknow,hewouldn’tteachthemorlaythemdownasrules.Thisiswhyhisteachingsaresandiṭṭhiko,visiblehereandnow.Ifpeoplewholistentothempracticecorrectlyinlinewiththem,theycanseethetruthofhiseverywordforthemselves.Thiswaytheycandevelopself-confidence.

Once,whentheBuddhahadcometoariver,hepickedupafistfulofsandandaskedthemonkswhowerefollowinghim,“Whichisgreater,thisfistfulofsandorthesandinalltheriversandoceans?”Themonksanswered,“ThesandintheBlessedOne’sfistisasmallamount,lord.Thesandinalltheriversandoceansisfarmore.”

TheBuddhathenresponded,“Inthesameway,monks,thosethingsthatIhaveknownwithdirectknowledgebuthavenottaughtarelikethesandinalltheriversandoceans.ThethingsIhavetaughtarelikethisfistfulofsand.”

Anyteachingthatwastruebutwouldn’tserveapurpose—inotherwords,thingsthathislistenerscouldn’tconfirmforthemselves—theBuddhawouldn’tteach.Andhewouldn’tdeceivetheworldbyteachinganythinguselessoruntrue.Hetaughtonlythegenuinetruththathislistenerscouldunderstandandconfirmforthemselvesthroughthepractice.

I’veexplainedquitealotalready.Whenthere’salotofspeaking,there’ssimplyalotofbreath.Myhopeisthatyouallwilllearnfromlistening,inlinewithyourmindfulness,andthentakewhatyou’velearnedandputitintopracticesothatitwillserveapurpose.Eventhoughitmaynotbemuch,myhopeisthatit’senoughtoserveapurpose.

You’vesacrificedalot—yourwork,allkindsofthings—incomingheretopractice.Comingtogetherlikethisdoesn’thappeneasily.Ourinterpreterhassacrificedhistime,too,inspiredbyhissensethatyouwanttopractice.Theorganizer,LarryRosenberg,hasgivenalotofhistimeandenergytothearrangementsthathaveenabledustocometogethertopractice,outofasimilardesire:thedesirethatallofyoulearnandpracticethecorrectwaytoleadyourlives,sothatyou’llreachpurityinlinewiththeprinciplesoftheBuddha’steachings—thesameteachingshetaughthisdisciplesinthepast,sothattheytoowereabletoreachpurity.TheteachingsoftheBuddhaarestillwithus.Thoseofusinthepresentshouldlistentothemandputthemintopracticesoastoservea

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purpose,justlikethepeopleinthepast.Thatwaywe’llfindhappinessandprosperityinourlives.

SoIaskthatyourememberwhatyou’velearnedhere,contemplateit,andputitintopracticesothatallofyou—eachandeveryone—willbenefitinlinewithyouraims.

That’senoughfornow,soI’llasktostophere.

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TheLightof

Discernment

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BLATANTLYCLEARINTHEHEART

WE’VEALLCOMEwithasenseofconviction,intentonstudyingandpracticingtheDhammasoastotrainourminds,sothattheDhammawillappearwithinourmindsandgivethemrefuge.EventhoughtheDhammaisalwayspresent,ithasn’tyetbecomethepropertyoftheheartandmind.AslongastheDhammaissimplythepropertyoftheeye,ear,nose,tongue,andbody,it’saDhammathatisn’tgenuine,aDhammathatisn’tpure,aDhammathatisn’tpolished,aDhammathatcangetinthewayofourseeingthetruth.Itcanletusgetdeceivedbythepreoccupationscreatedbytheprocessoffabricationfromthingstheeyesees,theearhears,andsoon.Afterall,theknowledgethatcomesfromwhattheeyeseesortheearhears:almosteveryonehaseyesandears.IftheknowledgethatcomesjustfromthesethingswereenoughtogiverisetothemostsignificantbenefitoftheDhamma,theneveryonewouldhavealreadyexperiencedthatsignificantwellbeing.Theywouldhaveexperiencedahappinessthat’sgenuine,certain,andcomplete.Thisisbecausealllivingbeingswitheyescansee,allthosewithearscanhear,allthosewithanose,tongue,andbodycanknowthroughthesethings.ButtoknowtheskillfulDhammataughtbytheBuddharequiresmorethanjusteyesandears.Itrequiresmindfulness—theabilitytokeepsomethinginmind—alongwithamindequippedwiththerightviewsthathavecomefromtrainingintherightprinciplesoftheBuddha’steachings.

ThisisbecausetheBuddha’steachingsarethewell-taughtDhammathatpeoplethroughouttheworldhaveacknowledgedasrightandcomplete,leadingtopeace,leadingtohappiness,leadingtomental,verbal,andphysicalactionsthataremasterful,seamless,withnothinglacking.EventhedevashaveacknowledgedthattheBuddha’sDhammaiswelltaught.CountlesspeoplewithconfidenceintheDhamma,practicingitearnestly,haveattainedthepathsandfruitionsleadingtonibbāna.They’vegainedreleasefromsufferingthroughtheprinciplesoftheDhammathatthey’vestudiedandtrainedthemselvesin.Allofusherearepeopleofdiscernmentjustlikethem,soweshouldtakeholdofthesethingsandmakethemourheart’spossessioninafullandcompleteway,justlikethem.Weshouldn’tcontentourselvessimplywithhearingaboutorlearningabouttheDhamma,forourknowledgeonthatlevelcanstillbedeceived,canstillchange,sothatourheartscanbecomeuncertainandunsure,sothatwecanmakemistakes,puttingtheheartinapositionwhereitsuffersfromtheimpactofthethingsitseesorhears,orfromthewrongdecisionsitmakes.

We’vemadethesemistakesandsufferedfromthesethingscountlesstimesalready.Thisisafactwecan’tdeny.Thisiswhywecan’twinoutoverourmoods

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andpreoccupationsaswewouldliketo.Weseethedefectsinourhearts—inourthoughts,words,anddeeds—whichiswhywecan’tmaintainourpeaceofmindasconsistentlyaswe’dliketo.

Sotrytomakeuseofthemind’sskillfulqualities.Whatarethosequalities?Youalreadyknowthem:virtue,concentration,anddiscernment.Maintainthemsothattheybecomeclearandblatantintheheart.Cometoseeclearlywhatsufferingsvirtuecandriveoutoftheheart,whatobstaclestohappinessandpeaceitcandriveoutoftheheart—toseewhatsortsofbenefitsitcanbring.

Askyourself:ifyoudidn’tobservethisorthatprecept,whatwouldappearinyourphysicalorverbalactions?Alifecomposedofthoseactions:inwhatdirectionwoulditpullyou?Thisissomethingyouhavetoseeclearly,youknow.Ifyou’reaBuddhistmeditator,you’reastudentoftheBuddha,onewhoknows—notonewhoisstupid!TheBuddhawasneverheedlessorcarelesswithlife.Heneverlettimegotowaste.Youshouldmakeupyourmindthat,asidefromwhenyousleep,youwantyoureverymovementtoserveapurposeyoucandependon.Youshouldlivewithawareness,withrightviews.Youshouldn’tgetinfatuatedwiththingscominginbywayoftheeye,ear,nose,tongue,orbody.We’veallbeenusingthesethingsforthepurposeofdelusionforalongtime—it’snotthatwe’vejuststartedusingthemforthatpurposerecently.Soarewegoingtofollowalonginthesamewayforever?Thisisanareawhereweshouldtakeresponsibilityandcometooursenses,tostraightenourselvesout.

Wehavetolookafterourwordsanddeedssothatthey’reperfectlyblatanttous.Thisiscalledkeepingthepreceptsinlinewiththeprinciple,sīlenasugatiṁyanti:it’sthroughvirtuethatbeingsgotothegooddestinations.TheBuddhadidn’tsaythiswithoutfirmevidence,orsimplyaspropagandaforpeopletobelieveorputintopracticeinadeludedway.Hesaidthisthroughrightdiscernment.Thosewhopracticehavetounderstandwithrightdiscernmentinjustthesamewaysoastoconformtotheprincipleofuju-paṭipanno,thosewhopracticestraightinlinewiththeDhamma.Ifyou’rethesortofpersonwhosimplybelieveswhatpeoplesay,rightwhenthey’reright,wrongwhenthey’rewrong,thenyoucanstillbedeceived.Youneedtodevelopthemindtoasolidlevel,seeingtheDhammainawaythat’sblatant,clear,andinformed.That’swhenyou’llbeundeceivable.

That’svirtue.Asforconcentration,youhavetoseeclearlywhatsufferingitdrivesoutofthe

heart,whatbenefitsitbrings.Thisissomethingyouhavetolearnandunderstandsothatyou’llreallyknow.Ifyouunderstandconcentration,it’llbringitsbenefitstoyou.It’llmakethemindgenuinelyclear,bright,andpure,becausemindfulnesswillremembertochooseonlygoodpreoccupationsforthemind.Discernmentwillcontemplatethemanddriveoutfromthemindanylackofstillnessorpeace.

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Discernmentonthelevelofconcentrationpractice—whenconcentrationhasfosteredasenseofwellbeingandseclusioninthemind—willdriveoutanydisturbancethatusedtocausestressforthemind.Itwillseethedangersanddrawbacksofthosedisturbances.Thissortofdiscernmentwillarisewhenwe’vepracticedconcentrationcorrectlytothepointofgivingrisetopeaceandwellbeing.

Convictionwillarisewhenweseetheseresultsclearlyinthemind.Wewon’thaveanydoubts.Wewon’thavetoaskanyonewhatconcentrationislike,whatastillmindislike,whattherewardsofconcentrationare.Wewon’thavetoask,forthemindknows.Ithasenteredintothesethings.Thisiswhathappenswhenwereallypractice,usingourmindfulnessandpersistence,usingourdiscernmentcorrectly,soastoserveatruepurpose.

Meditationissimplyamatteroflookingatwhat’sintheheartandmind,forallgoodandevilcomefromthemind.They’refabricatedbythemind.Whenweuserightviewstolookatthemind,whenwekeeprightmindfulnessrightatthemind,whenweapplyrighteffortcontinuallyinourmindfulnesswithoutlapse,themindwillhavetobefirmlyestablishedinrightconcentrationandwon’tgoanywhereelse.That’swhenwe’llseehowmuchrightnessisarisingrightthere.Whenwedon’tlosefocusorlookanywhereelse,whenwekeepontryingtobecontinuousinourgaze—inthesamewaywereadabook—we’llbeabletoseetheentirestoryofwhat’sgoingon.Ifweforgetandgolookingelsewhere,we’lllosewholechunksofthestory.Wewon’tbeabletoconnectthebeginningwiththeend.Itwon’thaveanyshape.

Butwhenthemindstaysfirmlyinplace,it’llenterconcentration.Theword“concentration”meansthefirmstillnessthatcomesfromtrainingthemindwithourDhammatheme.Forexample,buddho:wehavetostayrightwiththewordbuddho.Oureffortisdevotedtokeepingbuddhoinmind.Don’tletitslipawaytootherthings.Keepyoureffortsfocusedrightthere.Keepyourmindfulnessgatheredrightthere.Don’tletitforgetandgoelsewhere.Whenyoukeeptryingtodothis,thecounterfeitthingsinthemind—thedefilementsthatdeceiveus—won’tbeabletoarise,formindfulnessisallthere,sothedefilementscan’testablishthemselves,can’tdeceiveus.Thisisbecauseofthepowerofthemindfulness,concentration,anddiscernmentthatourmindhasgatheredtogethertochaseawaytheenemiesofourstillness,theenemiesofourhappinessandwellbeing.Weusedtoseetheseenemiesasourfriendsandbenefactors.Butoncewe’vestudiedtheBuddha’steachings,werealizethatthey’renothingbutdefilements.

Defilementsdon’thaveanysubstancetothem.Whatdotheycomefrom?Fromthemind.They’reshadowsofthemindthatdwellinthemind.Wheninanymentalmomentthere’sathoughtthatgoescontrarytotheDhamma,thatgives

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risetonotrueknowledgeorintelligence,thatbringsusdangerandsuffering:thatthoughtiscalledadefilement.Thoughtsofthissortdon’tcomefromanywhereelse.Ofcourse,thereareaspectsofdefilementthattaketheirinspirationfromoutsidethemind,butweshouldn’ttracethembackinthatdirection,orsendattentionoutsideinthatdirection.We’reheresimplyforthesakeofstillness,forthesakeofconcentration.Wehavetofocusrighthereinfrontofus.Wedon’thavetowanttoknowanythingelse—forexample,wherethedefilementscomefrom,howtheycanarise,orwheretheystay.It’sthesameaswhenwecomedownwithasuddenlethaldisease.Ifwewastetimeaskingthedoctorwherehismedicinecomesfromorwhatitcontains,wecouldeasilydiefirst.Wehavetotrustthedoctorandtakethemedicineasheprescribesit,inlinewiththeprincipleshehasusedwithgoodresultsinthepast.

Inthesameway,whenwe’retrainingthemindtobestill,wedon’thavetotrackdownwherethingscomefrom.Wehavetoabstainfromourdesiretotrackthingsdown,toknowinwaysthatwilldistractusfromourstillness.Whenyouwanttocenterthemindonbuddho,youonlyhavetobeawareofbuddho.Don’tletyourawarenessslipaway.Havethemindholdontobuddhoasitsrefugeatalltimes.That’syourtask,thetaskyouhavetodo.Thesameholdstruewhenyou’refocusingonthebreath,orwhateverthefocusofyourmeditation.They’reallDhammathemes.HowisthebreathaDhammatheme?It’saphysicaldhamma—thebreathorwindelementhereinthebody.Withoutthebreath,thebodywouldn’tlast.

Thisisn’tsomethingwehavetoexplain,becausewe’realreadyawareofit.Weunderstanditrightly.Wedon’thavetocontemplatethewaysinwhichthebreathisimportant.Wesimplyusethebreathtotrainthemind.We’renotheretotrainthebreath.Weusethebreathtomakethemindstill,whichiswhywedon’thavetoanalyzethebodyinanyotherway.Whenwewantthemindtobestill,tosettledownandrest,orwhenwewantmindfulnesstoworkwithfullagilityinovercomingdelusion,wehavetoexercisemindfulnessfullyinthedutyathand.Whenoureffortisright,ourmindfulnessisright,andourconcentrationisright,thentheygivecrucialstrengthtotheskillfulnessofthemind,sothatithasthepowerandauthorityitneedstodriveawaythedemonsofdefilement:i.e.,itsownlackofskillandintelligence,itsdelusions,itstendencytofloatalongafterthepreoccupationsthatdeceiveit,thinkingthatitgainstruehappinessthroughthehelpofthingsoutside.Actually,thosethingsendangerthemind.Why?Becausethey’renothingbutfabricationsthatareinconstant.There’snothingconstantaboutthematall.Visualformsareinconstant,soundsareinconstant,allthosephenomenaareinconstant.They’retheDhammaofMāra,cometodeceiveus.

Butevenwhenweunderstandthis,weshouldn’tyetgothinkingaboutthem.Onlywhenwe’vedevelopedenoughstrengthofmindtocontendwiththem

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shouldwegooutandfightwiththem.Whenourmindfulnessisn’tyetfirmlybasedinconcentration,wecan’tfightthemoff.We’resuretogetdemolishedbythem.We’vebeendemolishedbythemmany,manytimesbefore,becauseourbaseofoperations—ourconcentration—isn’tsolidenough.Wekeeplosingouttotheenemy.Doyouwanttokeeponlosingout?Whenareyougoingtogatheryourforces?Inotherwords,whenareyougoingtomakeyourconvictionsolid,yourpersistencesolid,yourmindfulness,concentration,anddiscernmentallsolid?Thesearetheforcesthatwillovercomethethingsthathavebeendeceivingthemindastheylike.

SoIaskthatweallbeearnestinwatchingoverthismindofours.Aswe’retaught,cittaṁdantaṁsukhāvahaṁ:themindwhentrainedbringshappiness.TheBuddhahasalreadydonethis,hasalreadysucceededingainingthishappiness.Hismanynoblediscipleshavesucceededinthesameway,providingevidenceforthetruthofwhathehastaught.

Whenwetrainourselvessothatourfoundationissolid,we’llhaveourownevidence,theDhammathatappearsblatantlyinourheart.We’llgainconfidence,acceptingthefactthattheBuddha’sDhammaiswelltaught.We’llnolongerhaveanydoubts,becauseitwillhavebecomeblatantintheheart.It’snotsimplythatwe’veheardotherpeopleteachitorseenitinbooks.Theevidencehasappearedclearlyintheheartthathasacceptedthetruthwithinit.Themindwillbecomesolidinawaythatnodefilementwillbeabletodeceive.

SoIaskthatweallpracticetruly.Whenwepracticetruly,thetruthwilltrulyappeartous.Practicesothatthesethingsappearclearly.Whenwe’vemadevirtueblatantlyclear,concentrationblatantlyclear,anddiscernmentblatantlyclear,wherewillanyignoranceorcravingbeabletofabricatemorestatesofbeingorbirthforus?We’llhavehadenough.Wewon’twantanythingmore.Therewon’tbeanymorecraving,becausewe’vegainedasenseoftheword,“enough.”Thisishowwereachenough—notbystrugglingtoamassmaterialthings.Theworldhastriedtoreach“enough”inthatwayforalongtimenow,butthere’sneverbeenenoughofthosethings.Soturnaroundandwatchoveryourmindsothatitallbecomesblatantlyclear.

Nowthatyou’veheardthis,trytorememberit.Youcanalwaysputittouse,fromthisdayforward.TheBuddha’steachingshavenevergrownoldorworn.They’realwaysbrandnew,whichiswhywecanputthemtouseatalltimes,inallplaces.Whenwealwayskeeptheminmind,we’llhaveasafeandsecurerefuge,anauspiciousrefuge.Whoeverattainsthisrefugewillgainreleasefromallsufferingandstress.

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STRAIGHTENINGOUTYOURVIEWS

WHENWEMEDITATE,we’retrainingthemind,forweholdthemindtobeveryimportant.Buttrainingthemindisreallydifficultifwedon’tdeveloptherightcharacterhabits.Wehavetodependonrefinedinnerqualitiesforthetrainingreallytogostraighttotheheart,becausetheheartitselfissubtleandsensitive.Wehavetomakeourcharactermeticulous,pliant,tractable,respectful,inoffensive.Wehavetobewillingtofollowtheexamplealreadysetbysomeonewhoknows,who’salreadytakenthepath,who—onexamination—we’vefoundtobeaboveusintermsofhistraininginmindfulnessanddiscernment,aboveusintermsofthepurityofhisactions.Whoisthisperson?TheBuddha—someonetowhomnooneelsecanlegitimatelybecompared.Wecan’tlegitimatelycompareourviewsandopinionswithhim,forheissomeonewhotrulytrainedhimself,whosacrificedeverything,withnothoughtforhissurvival.

Thefactthatwe’restilllefthangingoninsaṁsāraafterthislong,longtimeisallbecauseofourcharacterhabits.It’sbecauseofourcharacterhabitsthatwekeepmissingthepath,fallingoffthepath,strayingawayfromthepathallthetime.It’sbecauseofourhabitoffindingexcusesforourselvesthatwearen’twillingtofollowthepathsetoutbytheBuddha.Whatsortofpathhashesetoutforouractions?Whatsorthashesetoutforourwords?Forourmind?Hesetoutstandardsforustorespect,toobey,toputintopractice.SageshavesaidthattheBuddha’spathisaneasyonetofollowcorrectly,foritcreatesnodangers.Itdoesn’trequirethatwedoanythinghurtfulorhard.

WehavetoexaminetheBuddha’steachingstoseeifthey’reworthyofobedienceornot,toseeifthey’reworthytobefollowedornot.Dotheyhaveanydefectsthatweshouldtrytoavoid,thatweshouldn’taccept?CanwefindanyinconsistenciesintheBuddhathatwouldjustifyourgivingmorecredencetoourownopinions,thatwouldjustifyourdisobeyinghisteachings?Andwhatdowehavethat’ssospecial?Whenyoulookcarefully,youcan’tfindanythingtofaulthimwith.Sowhatharmwoulditdotolistentohimandtoobeyhisteachings?

Wehavetostudytoseewhereourowndefectslie.It’sasifwe’regoingonajourney.Ourbodymaybeingoodshape,butiftheworkingsofourcararedefectivetheycantakeusrightofftheroad.Sowehavetomeditatetoexaminetheworkingsofourcar,inotherwords,thepreoccupationsthatwecreateinthemindandthatactasviews.TheBuddhagaveagreatdealofimportancetotheissueofviews,forourviewscanmakeusdefective.Whenourviewsaredefective,theycanmakeourvirtuesdefective.Theycanmakeourpracticedefective,takingusoffthepath.Ourviewsgetdefectivewhenthemindisinfectedwithdelusion.

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There’sverylittlealertness.Theremaybealotofknowledge,alotofinformation,butverylittlealertness.Wemaythinkthatwe’reknowledgeable,thatwe’reintelligent,butwedon’tknowthatourviewsaredefective.Onlythosewhoknow,who’vegottenpastthisstage,canrecognizewhat’sdefectiveinourviews.

Sowehavetomakeapointoftrainingtheaspectofourcharacterrelatedtoourviews,topracticemakingourviewsstraight(diṭṭh’uju-kamma).Onlythenwillwefreeourselvesfromdefectiveviewsandreplacethemwithimpeccableones.Inordertodothis,wehavetobescrupulousinbeingobservant.Andwehavetobescrupulousinreflectingonourpastactions,boththethingswe’vedonerightandthethingswe’vedonewrong.Forthemostpart,wedon’tobserveouractionscarefully.Wemakethesamemistakesoverandoveragain.Wecauseourselvessufferingbutdon’ttakeittohearttopreventitfromhappeningagain.Thisiswhywekeepspinningaroundendlesslyinthecyclesofsaṁsāra.Wekeepmakingmistakesbutwedon’trecognizethemasmistakes.Wedothingsrightfromtimetotimebutdon’trecognizewhythey’reright.Soeverythinggetsallconfused.

Butifwetrainourselvestobeobservant,tokeepcleansingtheheartsothatwewon’trepeatourmistakesasecondtime,won’tcauseourselvestosufferinthatwayasecondtime,we’llbeabletomakechoicesthatreallybenefitus.Whenwelookatourpastbeliefsandactions,andthencomparethemwiththeactionsofthosewhoarewise,we’llseewhichthingsareuselessandwe’llstopdoingthem.Butifwedon’tletgoofouroldviews,wewon’tbeabletostopdoingthethingsweshouldstop.Wewon’tbeabletogiveupthethingsweshouldgiveup.Aslongasweholdontoouroldviews,thesameoldsufferingswillkeepshadowingus.We’llneverbeabletofindthepathleadingtotheendofsuffering.

Thisiswhythenobleeightfoldpathbeginswithsammā-diṭṭhi,orrightview.Rightviewcorrectlydescribesthingsrightaroundus—withinandwithoutus—thathavealwaysbeenthatwayfromtimeimmemorial.SowhenyouseetheDhamma—thetruthofthingsastheyalreadyare—you’llbewillingtoletgoofyouroldopinionsandfollowthepathtaughtbytheBuddha.FortheBuddhataughtthesetruthssothatwecouldstudyandknowthegenuinetruth.Itdoesn’thurttobelievetheBuddha.Itcanonlyhelpus.HisAwakeningwasforthebenefitandhappinessofthebeingsoftheworld,forthepurificationofthebeingsoftheworldwhohavethewisdomanddiscernmenttofollowthepaththathefollowed.ThearisingofaBuddhaleadstosufferingonlyforthosewhosepridepreventsthemfromfollowinghispath.They’retheonlyoneswhodon’tbenefitfromhisAwakening.

Weshouldbeopenandhonestwithourselvesaboutourpride,ourviews.Weshouldn’thidethemfromourselves.Weshouldbringthemoutandflushthemout.Don’tkeepfeedingthem.Forthemostpart,they’renotthesortoffriendswhowillhelpmakeusbright,clean,andpure.Don’tgothinkingthattheideaswe

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likewillnecessarilyhelpmakeusbright,clean,andpure.Weshouldprythemout,unfurlthem,cleanthemoutsothatallourdefectiveviewscanbecutaway.Whenwe’refreeofdefectiveviews,we’llbeleftwithimpeccableviews,viewsthatareatreasureintermsofourthinking.Whenourviewsareimpeccable,ourvirtueswillbeimpeccable.Andwhenourvirtuesformagood,solidfoundation,trainingthemindbecomeseasyandfreefromdifficulties.

Theproblemrightnowisthatourviewsruncontrarytothetruthandarealwaysreadytomakefalseassumptions.Weseestressfulthingsaspleasurable,shortthingsaslong,thingsthatshouldbedoneasthingsnottobedone.Weseethingsthatarefilthy,thatshouldbestraightenedouttoputtheminlinewiththetruth,andwesimplyleavethemastheyare,atoddswiththetruth.Sohowcanwehopetogainreleasefromsuffering?Howcanwehopetoreachpurity?

Themindissomethingsubtleandsensitive,easilymisledbysubtlemisunderstandings,tosaynothingofblatantones.ThisiswhytheBuddhasetoutatrainingregimeforourcharacterhabits,tomakeuscompliantandrespectfultowardthetruth,eveninthesmallestmatters,seeingdangerineventheslightestfaults.Inotherwords,hepointedouteventheslightestfaultsthatweshouldavoid,shouldabandon,butwefeelthatwecan’tdowithoutthem.Wedon’tseethemasfaults.Thismeanswedon’tseethefrighteningdangersthatwillarisefromourownwrongactions.Sowe’reaudaciousindoingwhat’swrong.AsforthethingstheBuddhatoldustodo,we’renotwillingtodothem,notwillingtofollowhim,allbecauseofourviewsandourpride.Thisiswhywecan’treachthestreamtonibbāna.

Ifwewanttopracticesoastoabandonourpride,soastoenterthestreamtothetranscendent,wehavetostraightenoutourviews—inparticular,self-identityviews(sakkāya-diṭṭhi).Thesearetheveryfirstdoor.Ifwecan’tstraightenoutthesesortsofwrongviews,wewon’tbeabletofindthedoorthroughthewallthatseparatesusfromtheDeathless.We’llsimplycirclearoundtheoutsideperimeter.Nomatterhowmanylifetimeswepractice,we’lljustkeepwalkingaroundtheperimeterofthewallifwecan’tstraightenouttheseviews.Soweshouldtrainourselvestoexamineourmanysubtleviewsinalltheirelaborations.Weshouldgiverisetoconvictionthat’sstrongerthanwhatwealreadyhave.Weshouldmakeourrespectstrongerthanwhatitalreadyis,andbewillingtofollowtheBuddha’sinstructions.Whenhesaystorenouncesomething,weshouldrenounceit,evenifitmeansputtingourlifeontheline,evenifitmeansdying.Onlythenwillwecomeoutvictorious,makinganopeninginthewallofourviews.Ifwe’renotwillingtomakethatlevelofsacrifice,there’snowaywe’llsucceed.

Sorememberthis:ifwe’renotwillingtomakethatlevelofsacrifice,there’snowaywe’llsucceed.Ifyouwanttogetthroughthefinalwallsoastogaintotalreleasefromdyingandbirth,youhavetostopcirclingaroundtheoutside

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perimeterlikethis.Ifyoukeepactingthewayyouare,you’llnevergainreleasefromsufferingandstress.Sotrytobeobservant,trytoevaluatethepreoccupationsthatlieburiedinyourheart.Whataretheobstacles,thedefilements,youhavetoundosothatyoucancomeoutvictorious?Ifyoucan’tovercomethemusingonemethod,tryothermethodsuntilyoucan.Don’tletthembecome“you.”Don’tletthembecomeyourself,makingyouengageinI-makingandmy-makingandself-identityviews.

Oncethereareself-identityviews,thestupidityofthemindwillleadtouncertainty(vicikicchā),sothatyoucan’tcometoanyclearandgenuineconclusions.You’llgraspatexternalthings—thisiswhat’scalled“graspingathabitsandpractices”(sīlabbata-parāmāsa)—liketheJainsinthetimeoftheBuddha,whothoughttheywouldsucceedingainingreleasethroughexternalpractices,withouttrainingthemindtogiverisetodiscernment.Theyfeltthatiftheyfollowedtheirpractices,externalforceswouldcomeandsavethem,somegodwouldcomeandsavethem.Butthepurityofourexternalactionsissomethingonlywecanknow.AstheBuddhataught,there’snooneelsewhocancomeandsaveus.Onlywecansaveourselves.There’snogodgreaterthanthehelpwegiveourselves.

Sodon’tletyourselfbemisled.VanquishyourwrongviewssothatyoucanbegenuinelycomplianttowardtheBuddha,genuinelybelievinginhisteachingswithgenuinerespect.

Keeponmeditating.

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RIGHTATTITUDE

WHENWEMEDITATE,weletgoofourpresentpreoccupations.Normallythemindisalwayspreoccupiedwiththevariousobjectsthattheeyesees,theearhears,thenosesmells,thetonguetastes,andthebodycomesintocontactwith.Butwhenwewantpeaceofmind,wehavetoseetheseobjectsascoarseandgross.Wetrytoletgoofthingsthataregross,thingsthataresensual.Wefocusinsteadonthingsthataremorerefinedandofmorelastingvalue,stepbystep.

Wekeepongettingthemindtogatherinstillness,keeponlettinggoofeverythingelse.It’slikewhenwegotosleep:wehavetoletgoofdistractingthoughts,wehavetostopthinking,havetocutthosethingsawayifwe’regoingtosleepincomfort.Aslongasthemindisinaturmoiloverthosethingsandcan’tletthemgo,itwon’tbeabletofallasleep.It’llhavenosenseofease,won’tgainanystrength.Evenmoresowhenwemeditate:wehavetocutawayallourotherpreoccupations,letthemallgo,leavingonlybuddho.

Adjustyourattitudesothatyoucanfindasenseofeaseatthesametimeyou’rerepeatingbuddhotoyourself.Don’tletyourselfgetboredortiredofthemeditation.Howdoyoudevelopasenseofease?Throughyourconvictioninwhatyou’redoing.Nomatterwhatthejob,ifyoucandoitwithasenseofconviction,asenseofrespectforyourwork,youcankeepatitcontinuously.Evenifthesunisbeatingdownandyou’realltiredandwornout,youcankeepondoingit.Ifyoudoitwithasenseofdesire(chanda)fortheresults,asenseofpersistence(viriya),intentness(citta),andcircumspection(vimaṅsā),youcankeepondoingitwithoutgettingtired.Whenyoudoyourworkwiththisattitude,youcankeepatitalways.

Thisiswhyourteacherswereabletolivewithasenseofcontentmentevenwhentheywereoutinthemountainwilds.Theyputeffortintotheirmeditationwithasenseofeaseandwellbeinginthepeaceofmindtheywereabletomaintainthroughrestrainingthemindwithmindfulness.Iftheirheartswerealreadyinclinedtostillnessandseclusion,thenassoonasthemindhaddevelopeditsfoundation,theywereabletokeepitgoingwithoutanydifficulties.Itbecameautomatic,andtheywereabletoexperienceasenseofwellbeing—thestillness,thefullness,thebrightnessofthemind.

Soadjustingthemindproperlyinthiswayissomethingveryimportantforanyonewhowantspeaceofmind.Keepremindingyourselftodevelopanattitudeofconviction,andthiswillgiveenergyandencouragementtoyourefforts.Ifyourconviction,persistence,andmindfulnessarestrong,you’llbeabletowinoutoveranyrestless,anxious,sleepy,orlazystatesofmind.You’llbeabletowinoutoverthesethingsthroughthequalitiesofmindyoudevelop.

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Thequalitiesofmindwe’redevelopingarelikestrategicweapons.Wedevelopmindfulness.Wedevelopalertness.Wepickoutouroneobjectofmeditation—“ThisiswhatI’mgoingtofastenon”—andthenwebothkeepitinmindandstayawareofit.Whenwerefusetoletgoofit,whenweholdontighttoasingleobject,itbecomesthequalitycalledsinglenessofpreoccupation.Whenthissinglenessofmindarises,itcancutthroughrestlessness,cutthroughanxiety.Itincludesbothmindfulnessandpersistence,andcankeepthemindfirmlygatheredinoneplace.

Whenthissinglenessofmindarises,itturnsintofirmconcentration.Themindgetsmorerefinedandcanletgoofeverythingelse,stepbystep.Thissinglenessistherefinedpartthatholdsthroughallthelevelsofrightconcentration.Inthefirstlevelyouhavetohavesinglenessofpreoccupationincharge.Eventhoughthere’salsodirectedthought,evaluation,rapture,andpleasure,singlenessofpreoccupationhastobethere.Directedthoughtandevaluationarethecoarserpartsoftheconcentration.You’llknowasthemindgetsmorerefinedbecauseitletsgoofthem,leavingjustsinglenessofpreoccupation,rapture,andpleasure.Raptureisthecoarsestofthesethree,soyouletgoofit,leavingjustpleasureandsinglenessofpreoccupation.Pleasureisthecoarserofthesetwo,soyouletgoofit,leavingjustsinglenessofpreoccupationandequanimity.

Whenthemindhasasenseofsteadyequanimity,firmandunwavering…Ifyouwanttocallittender,it’stenderinthatitdoesn’tputupanyresistancetotheDhamma,doesn’tresistthetruthofthingsastheyare.Itdoesn’tdispute.It’swillingtoacceptthattruth.Butifyouwanttocallittough,it’stoughinthatit’sfirmandunwavering.Normally,whenthingsaresoftandtendertheywaverandmovewhenthey’restruckbyanything.Butwhenthemindistenderinthisway,itbecomestoughinstead.Noonecanfoolit.Itdoesn’twaver,it’snotaffectedbyanything.Thisisthenatureofthemindinconcentration.Whydoesn’titwaver?Becauseit’sseenthetruth.It’sfull.It’snothungryinanywaythatcouldmakeitwaver,thatcouldletitgettempted.Itdoesn’twantanythingelse.Wehumanbeings:whenwehaveasenseofenough,we’refree.

Forthisreason,meditatorsneedasolidthemethattheycanholdto.Ifyoudon’tknoworhaven’tstudiedmuchDhamma,youcansimplyrememberinbriefthatthisbodyofoursisDhamma.EverypartofitisDhamma.ConventionalDhammas,formulatedDhammas,allthewayuptoabsoluteDhammasallcanbefoundinthisbody.Soweshouldpayattentiontothebodyasit’sactuallypresentrighthere.Whenweknowourownbody,wewon’thaveanydoubtsaboutotherpeople,otherbodies.Sotogivestrengthtothemind,weshouldrepeattoourselvesanyofthemeditationthemesdealingwiththebodysothatthemindwillsettledownandcometorest.

Ifrepeatingbuddho,buddhoistoorefinedforyou—ifyoucan’tfindanything

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toholdto,ordon’tknowwheretofocus—youcanfocusonthebreath.It’sblatantenoughforyoutofixyourattentiononit—whenitcomesin,youknowit’scomingin;whenitgoesout,youknowit’sgoingout.Orifthat’stoorefined,youcanfocusonthe32partsofthebody.Ifyouwanttofocusonhairofthehead,repeatkesā,kesā(hairofthehead,hairofthehead)toyourself.You’veseenheadhairs,youcanrememberthem,sofixthememoryinyourmindandthenrepeatkesā,kesā.Forhairofthebody,youcanrepeatlomā,lomā,andsoon.Repeatthenamesofanyofthe32partsuntilyourawarenessgathersinwiththerepetitionandsettlesdownintostillness.

Ifyouwant,youcanfocusonanyoneofthebones.Repeataṭṭhi,aṭṭhi.Whereistheboneyou’refocusingon?It’sreallyrightthere.Whatkindsoffeaturesdoesithave?Itreallyhasthem—afterall,you’veseenbonesbefore.Youcanrememberwhatthebigbonesandlittlebonesarelike.Socallthemtomind,focusonthem,andrepeattheirnamessoastobuildafirmfoundationforconcentrationandmindfulnessinthemind.

Onceyourfoundationisfirmandsteadyfromthepracticeofrepetition,youmoveontoinvestigation,toinsightmeditation.Youanalyzethesethingstoseethemasaniccaṁ,orinconstant.WhydoestheBuddhasaythey’reinconstant?Wewantthemtobeconstant.Wedon’twantthemtochange.TheBuddhateachesustoletgoofthem,butwecan’tletthemgo—becauseourviewsruncontrarytotheDhamma.That’swhywecan’tletgo.

Theword“letgo”heremeansthatwedon’tholdontothem.Eventhoughwestilllivewiththem,wejustlivewiththem,nothingmore.Eventhoughwemakeuseofthesethings,wesimplyusethem,nothingmore.Eventhoughwemakethebodymove,it’sjustmovement.Youhavetokeepthisunderstandinginmindsothatwrongviewsdon’toverwhelmyou.Sothatdelusiondoesn’toverwhelmyou.Aslongasthesethingsexist,wemakeuseofthem.Afterall,they’reheretouse.TheBuddhaandhisnobledisciplesallmadeuseofthesethingswithoutanythoughtoftheirbeinganythingotherthanwhattheyare—thattheymightbeconstant,thattheymightgiverisetotruepleasure,thattheymightbe“us”or“ours.”Weusethesethingsinlinewithourdutiesaslongasthey’rehereforustouse.Whentheychangeintosomethingelse,theychangeinlinewiththeirduties,inlinewiththelawsoftheDhamma.

TheBuddhathustaughtustofamiliarizeourselveswithwhat’snormalinlife:agingisnormal,illnessisnormal,deathisnormal,separationfromthepeopleandthingsweloveisnormal.Whenweanalyzethem,werealizethatthey’reallgoingtohavetoleaveus.Theywon’tstaywithusforever.Wheneventhesefivekhandhasthatwe’relookingafterallthetimearen’treallyours,howcanourchildrenreallybeours?Howcanourparentsreallybeours?Howcanourpossessionsreallybeours?They’reallanattā:not-self.

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Wetrainandexerciseourmindsinthiswayuntilthey’readeptinthesamewaythatwememorizeourlessonsinschool.Oncethey’refirmlyimbeddedinthemind,themindwon’tgoagainstthetruthoftheDhamma.ItwillbelievethetruthoftheDhamma,beinclinedtofollowthetruthoftheDhamma.Itwon’tsuffer,foritfollowsinlinewiththelawsoftruth.Whenwedon’tstruggleagainstthetruthoftheDhamma,therewon’tbeanysorrowordistresswhenthingschange,forwe’vecometoknowandacceptthetruth.

Soallwehavetodoiscomeandknowthetruth.Itdoesn’tliefaraway.Thethingsthatwillcureoursufferings,themostimportantthingsthatwillhelpuscrossoverbirthandbecoming,allcomesimplyfrommakingourknowledgeofwhat’strulyherefirmandunwaveringsothatitcanpushthemind,liftthemind,overandaboveanyinfluencesthatmightcometomakeanimpactonit—sothatitwillgainreleasefromdefilement,releasefromsorrow,releasefromdistress.Themeditationwe’repracticinghereissimplyforthepurposeofknowingthetruthasitactuallyis.Aslongaswehaven’tyetreachedit,wewon’tseeit.Whenwedon’tseeit,allweknowaboutitisnews:whatwe’vereadinbooksorheardontapesorheardourteachersdescribe.That’ssimplynews.Themindhasn’tseenit.Theearshavesimplyreceivedit,theeyeshavesimplytakenitinfrombooks,butthey’resimplypassivereceptors,holdingitaslabelsandmemories,that’sall.

The“reaching”hastobedonebytheheart.Theheartiswhatreachesthetruth.Andoncethehearthasreachedit,youdon’thavetoworry.It’llbetheheart’sowntreasure.Sowehavetotrainthehearttobeintelligent,sothatitwillgaintruehappiness,truereleasefromdanger,fromsufferingandstress.Practicesothatyourmindreachesit,sothatitwillseeit.Atthemoment,ithasn’tgottenthereyet.Sofar,it’sallonlyinyourearsandeyes.

Soweallhavetoputourheartsintothemeditation.Focusonwhat’strulyheresothattheheartwillreachthetruth—thenobletruths.Whateversufferingorstressishereinyourbodyandmindisallpartofthedukkhasacca,thenobletruthofstress.Whateverdelusion,passion,ordelightthatdependsondelusion—howevermuch,whatevertheobject,withinorwithout—isallsamudayasacca,thenobletruthoftheoriginationofstress.Allthethingsthatwelike,thatgiverisetodesiretothepointofclinging:whenwegetthem,welatchontothem.Whenwelosethem,welookforthemagain.Whenwedon’thavethem,wesuffer.Thisiswhatmakesthemindtravelthroughallthelevelsofbeing,greatandsmall.

Intheteachingondependentco-arising,theBuddhasaidthatitallcomesfromnotknowing.Wedon’tdiscerncontact,don’tdiscernfeeling,don’tdiscerncraving,don’tdiscernclinging,don’tdiscernbecoming,don’tdiscernbirth:allofthisiscalledavijjā,orunawareness.Sodoyoudiscernthesethingsyet,ornot?Whensightsstriketheeye,dayinanddayout:isyourmindfulnessreadytohandlethemornot?Isyourdiscernmentuponthetricksofthedefilementsor

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not?Ifnot,youhavetobeobservant,togatherandrestrictallyourattentiontowhat’srighthere,forwhendefilementsarise,theyariserighthere.Ifdiscernmentistoseethedefilementstothepointofgivingrisetorightview,it’llhavetoseeandknowrighthere.

Ifwegatherandrestrictourattentiontowhat’srighthere,we’resuretoknowandsee.Ifwewanttobemindfulandalert,wecan’tdoitanywhereelse.Rememberthispointwell,andputitintopractice.Whenthesewordsarespokenyouhearthem,butwhenyougetupyouforgetthem.Thenwhenthetimecomestomeditateagain,youdon’tknowwhattopickasyourthemeofpractice.Youforgeteverything,throwitallaway.Sothere’snothingbut“you”—noDhammatoknow,noDhammatosee,noDhammatoputintopractice.It’sall“you”and“yours”:yourbody,andwhenthebodyisyours,feelingsareyours,perceptionsareyours,thoughtconstructsareyours,consciousnessisyours.Soyougetpossessiveofwhat’syours,andthere’snothinglefttobeDhamma.That’swhyyourpracticedoesn’tprogress.

Allprogresshastocomefromapointof“one.”Once“one”isfirmlyestablished,thentherecanbe“two”and“three.”If“one”islacking,everythingelsewillbelacking.Actually,whenweseparatethingsout,thereisno“two”or“three.”Whenwedon’tlumpthingstogether,there’sonly“one.”Evengroupsoftenortwentypeopleareallmadeupofoneperson—thatoneperson,thisoneperson,thatonepersonoverthere.

Soinourpracticewefirsthavetoestablish“one”—thisbodyofours.What’shereinthebody?Wehavementaleventsandphysicalphenomena:that’stwo.Thenthere’sfeeling:pleasure,pain,neitherpleasurenorpain:that’sthree.Whenweseparatethingsout,there’slotsofthem,butit’sallthisoneperson,thisonelumpsittinghereencasedinskin.Butwhenyouanalyzethingsout,youhavehairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin…Hereit’salreadyalot.Thenyoucananalyzetheeye,consciousness,forms.It’salotofthings,butallonething:onemassofsufferingandstress.Nothingelse.Justknowthisonethinguntilit’sallclear.Youdon’thavetoknowalotofthings,justthisonebody.Onceyoureallyseethetruth,themindwillletgoofitsburdens.Wesufferbecausewekeeppilingthingson—“That’sus,that’sours,that’sthem,that’stheirs”—throughthepowerofattachment,clingingtothings,notwantingthemtochange.Whenthemindstartsmeditatingbymentallyrepeatingitstheme,itcanletthingsgoforawhile.Youholdontobuddhooranyoftheotherthemes.Youdon’ttakerefugeinthebody.Youtakerefugeinbuddho,buddho,untilthemindsettlesdown.Thatgivesyouagreatersenseofwellbeingthanyoucouldgetfromtheseotherthings.

Whenyoucanletgoevenofthislevelofwellbeing,you’llreachtherealbuddha.That’swherethere’spurity,that’swherethere’struewellbeing,withnomoreneedtogoswimmingthroughbirthanddeath,nomoreneedtotorment

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yourselfbyhavingtositandmeditatelikethisagain—becausetherewillbenothingtotorment,nothingtomeditateonanymore.Whenyouletgoofeverything,therearenomoreissues.

Sowemeditatetogiverisetothediscernmentthatseesthedrawbacksofthingsandletsgoofthemall.That’swhentherearenomoreburdens,nomorekamma.Itsoundseasy,butyouhavetoletgoofeverything.Ifyouhaven’tletgoofeverything,there’smorekammatodo,moreworktodo.Sowe’retaughtcāgo—renunciation;paṭinissaggo—relinquishment;mutti—release;anālayo—noplaceforthedefilementstodwell.

So.Keeponmeditating.

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DISENCHANTMENT

WE’LLNOWSTARTMEDITATING,justaswe’vebeendoingeveryday.Wehavetolookatthisasanimportantopportunity.Eventhoughourpracticehasn’tyetreachedtheDhammatooursatisfaction,attheveryleastit’sabeginning,animportantbeginning,ingatheringthestrengthofthemindsothatourmindfulness,concentration,anddiscernmentwillbecomehealthyandmature.Weshouldtrytogatherthesequalitiestogethersothattheycanreinforceoneanotherinwashingawaythestains,thedefilements,inourminds—forwhendefilementsarise,theydon’tleadtopeace,purity,orrespiteforthemind.Justtheopposite:theyleadtosuffering,unrest,anddisturbance.TheyblockanydiscernmentthatwouldknoworseetheDhamma.There’snodefilementthatencouragesustopracticetheDhamma,toknoworseetheDhamma.Theysimplygetinthewayofourpractice.

Sowhatevermentalstategetsinthewayofourpracticeweshouldregardasadefilement—fordefilementsdon’tcomefloatingalongontheirown.Theyhavetodependonthemind.Anymentalstatethat’ssleepyorlazy,anymentalstatethat’srestless,angry,orirritable:thesearealldefilements.They’rementalstatesundertheinfluenceofdefilement,overcomebydefilement.

Ifanyofthesementalstatesarisewithinus,weshouldbeawareofthem.Whenthemindissleepy,weshouldgetittokeepbuddhoinmindsothatitwillwakeupandshakeoffitssleepiness.Whenthemindisrestlessandirritable,weshoulduseourdiscernmenttoreflectonthingstoseethatthesestatesofmindservenopurpose.Thenweshouldquicklyturnbacktoourconcentrationpractice,plantingthemindfirmlyinourmeditationtheme,notlettingthemindgetrestlessanddistractedagain.

Wefocusthemindonbeingawareofitsmeditationword,buddho—what’saware,what’sawake.Wekeepitinmindasifitwereapostplantedfirmlyintheground.Don’tletthemindwanderfromthefoundationpostonwhichyou’vefocused.Butwhateveryourfocus,don’tletyourfocusbetense.Youhavetokeepthemindinagoodmoodwhileit’sfocused.Dothiswithanattitudeofmindfulnessanddiscernment,notoneofdelusion,wantingtoknowthisortoseethatortoforcethingstofallinlinewithyourthoughts.Ifthat’sthewayyoumeditate,yourmoodwillgrowtenseandyouwon’tbeabletomeditateforlong.Innotimeatallyou’llstartgettingirritable.

Soifyouwanttomeditateforalongtime,youhavetobeneutral,withequanimityasyourfoundation.Ifyouwantknowledge,focusfirmlyonwhatyou’realreadyawareof.Keepyourmindfirmlyinplace.Findanapproachthat

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willhelpyoustayfocusedwithoutslippingaway.Forexample,makeanefforttokeepyourmindfirmlyintentandapplyyourpowersofobservationandevaluationtothebasisofyourbuddho.Allofthesethingshavetobebroughttogetheratthesamespot,alongwithwhateverthinkingyouneedtodosothatmindfulnesswon’tlapse,lettingunskillfuloutsideissuescomebargingin,orleavinganopeningforinternalpreoccupationstoariseintheheart,orlettingyourselfgetdisturbedbythoughtsofthepast—thingsyoukneworsaworsaidordidearliertoday,ormanydays,manymonths,manyyearsago.Youhavetofocusexclusivelyonthepresent.

Ifyou’vetakenbuddhoasyourmeditationtheme,keepcomingbacktoitoverandoveragain.Buddhostandsforawareness.Ifyoucanmaintainawarenesswithoutlapse,thiswillmakeanimportantdifference.Ifyou’vetakenthebreathasyourtheme,youhavetobeawareeachtimethebreathcomesinandout.Youcan’tletyourselfwanderoff.Youhavetotakenothingbutthebreathasthefocalpointformindfulness.Thesameprinciplesholdineithercase.Youdothesamethings,theonlydifferenceisthethemeofyourawareness.

WhydoestheBuddhateachustofocusonthebreath?Becausewedon’thavetolookforit,don’thavetoguessaboutit,don’thavetothinkitintobeing.It’sapresentphenomenon.There’snosuchthingasapastbreathorafuturebreath.There’ssimplythebreathcominginandoutinthepresent.That’swhyit’sappropriateforexercisingourmindfulness,forgatheringourmindfulnessandawarenessinasingleplace,forfirmlyestablishingconcentration.

Soyoucanfocusoneithertheme—whicheveroneyou’vealreadymeditatedonandfoundthatmindfulnesscanquicklygetestablishedwithoutlapsingandcanquicklyproduceasenseofstillnessandpeace.Setthatthemeupasyourfoundation.Whenyou’restartingout,focusonkeepingthatthemeinmind.

Oncethemindhashadenoughstillness,ifyousimplywantittobecomemorestill,themindwillgetintoastatewhereitisn‘tdoinganyworkbecauseit’snotdistractedinanyway.Ifthishappens,youhavetostartcontemplating.Inthefoundationsofmindfulnesswe’retaughttocontemplatethevariousaspectsofthebodyinandofthemselves.Wedon’thavetocontemplateanythingelse.Ifyouwanttocontemplatefromtheangleofinconstancy,it’shereinthisbody.Ifyouwanttocontemplatefromtheangleofstress,it’shereinthisbody.Youcancontemplateitfromanyangleatall.Ifyouwanttocontemplatefromtheangleofeliminatingpassionandcraving,youcanlookatthingsthataredirtyanddisgusting—andyoufindthattheyfillthebody.Thisissomethingrequiringyoutouseyourownintelligence.Whateverangleyouuse,youhavetolookintothingssothattheygetmoresubtleandrefined.Contemplatethemagainandagainuntilyouseethingsclearlyinawaythatgivesrisetonibbidā,ordisenchantment,sothatyouaren’tdeludedintolatchingontothingsandgivingthemmeaningsthe

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wayyouusedto.Turnoveranewmind,turningyourviewsintonewviews.Younolongerwant

youroldmistakenviews.Turningfromyouroldviews,giverisetorightviews.Turningfromyouroldwaysofthinking,giverisetorightresolves—toseethebodyasrepulsiveandunattractive.Thisisnekkhamma-saṅkappa,theresolveforrenunciation,theresolvetoescapefromsensualpassion.Wedon’tgothinkinginotherdirectionsorroamingoffinotherdirections.Wetrytogointhedirectionofescapingfromtheviewthatthebodyisbeautiful.Whattheeyeseesofthebodyisjusttheouterskin.It’sneverseenthefilthythingsinside.Eventhoughitmayhaveseenthemfromtimetotime,aswhensomeonediesinanaccidentorwhenapatientisopenedforsurgery,there’ssomethinginthemindthatkeepsusfromtakingittoheartandgivingrisetodiscernment.There’ssomethingthatkeepsusfromcontemplatingthingsdowntoalevelmoresubtlethanwhattheeyesees.Weseethesethingsandthenpassrightoverthem.Wedon’tgettoalevelprofoundenoughtogiverisetodisenchantment.

Socontemplatethebody.Ifthemindhasdevelopedastrongenoughfoundation,itshouldn’tstaystuckjustatthelevelofstillness.Butifyouhaven’tyetreachedthatlevelofstillness,youcan’tskipoverit.Youfirsthavetomakethemindstill,becauseafirmfoundationofstillnessisabsolutelyessential.Ifyoutrytocontemplatebeforethemindhasgrownstill,you’llgiverisetoknowledgethatlastsonlyaslongasyou’reinmeditation.Whenyouleavemeditationandthemindisnolongerfirm,yournewunderstandingswilldisappear.Youroldunderstandingswillcomeback,justasifyouhadnevermeditated.Whateverwayyou’vebeendeludedinthepast,that’showyou’llbedeludedagain.Whateverviewsyou’vehadbeforewon’tchangeintoanythingelse.Whateverwaysyou’vethought,you’llendupdeludedjustasbeforeaslongasyournewwaysofthinkingaren’tbasedonafoundationofstillness.

Thisiswhystillnessissoessential.Wehavetogetthemindtogainstrengthfromstillnessandthenletitcontemplatethebodyinandofitselfintermsofits32parts.Youcanchooseanyoneoftheparts,focusingonituntilit’sclear.Oryoucanfocusonthepartsinsetsoffive.Whenyoureachtheliquidparts,youcanfocusontheminsetsofsix,fortherearetwelveoftheminall.Youcancontemplatethembackandforth—ifyourmindfulnesshasn’tyetbeenexercisedtothepointwereit’sfirm,contemplatethesethingsbackandforthjustasapreceptorteachesanewordinand:kesā,lomā,nakhā,dantā,taco(hairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin),andthenturningthemaroundtotaco,dantā,nakhā,lomā,kesā.Thenyoucangoontothenextsetoffive—maṅsaṁ,nhārū,aṭṭhī,aṭṭhimiñjaṁ,vakkaṁ(muscle,tendons,bones,bonemarrow,spleen).Thisiscalledcontemplatingtheminsetsoffive.

Thisishowwestartoutexercisingmindfulness.If,whileyou’repracticing

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mindfulnessinthisway,avisualimageofanyofthesefivepartsappears,catchholdofitandcontemplateitsothatitgrowsdeeperandmorerefined.Contemplateituntilyoucandividethebodyintoitsparts,seeingthateachpartisjustlikethis.Getsothatyouknowthebodyinsideandout,realizingthatotherlivingbeingsarejustlikethis,too.Ifyou’relookingtoseewhat’sunclean,you’llfindithere.Ifyou’relookingtoseewhat’snot-self,you’llfindithere.Turnthesethingsoverinyourmindandquestionyourselfastowhetherthey’reconstant.Whatkindofpleasureisthereinthesethings?Isitworthwhileornot?Focusontheseissuesoften,lookatthemoftenuntilyou’readept,andthemindwillfinallybewillingtoacceptthetruth,changingfromitsoldwrongwaysofseeingthings,andseeingtheminsteadinlinewiththeDhammaastaughtbytheBuddha.

Whenyourviewschangeofteninthisway,themindwillexperienceanewkindofstillnessandpeace.Itwillturnawayfromthefeversofthefiresofpassion,aversion,anddelusion;andturnintomindfulness,concentration,anddiscernmentinstead.Itsknowledgeandviewswillbecomeclear.Itwillnolongerwaver.Itwillbecomebraveandnolongerafraidinthewayitusedtobe—forithascometoknowthetruth:thatnothinggetspainedasidefromtheaggregates;nothingdiesasidefromtheelements.Themindgetsfirmlyplanted.Itcanmeditatewithasnugsenseofconfidence,withnofearofpainorillnessoranythingatall.Youcanseparatethingsoutallthewaydown.Evenifdeathweretocomeatthatpoint,you’dbecontent,foreventhoughdeathhasn’tyetcome,thesethingshaveseparatedoutoftheirownaccord.You’vecontemplatedthemandseenthemforwhattheyare,eachandeveryone.

SoIaskthatweallhavefirmprinciplesinourcontemplation.Begenuineindoingit—don’tjustgothroughthemotions—forallthesethingsaregenuine.Ifwedon’tmeditate,defilementswillinhabitourthoughts,deceivingussothatwedon’tseethingsastheygenuinelyare.Ifwedependjustonoureyes,theycanfoolus.Theeyecanseeonlytheoutsideofthings.Itseesskin,andtheskincanbemadeuptodeceiveus.Itseeshairofthehead,andhaircanbemadeuptodeceiveus.Itseeshairofthebody—thingslikeeyebrowsandbeards,whichcanbedressedtodeceiveus.Itseesfingernailsandtoenails,whichcanbemadeuptodeceiveus.Itseesteeth,whichcanbetreatedtodeceiveus,sothatwemakeallsortsofassumptionsaboutthem.Theeyehasnodiscernment.Itletsusgetdeceived—butitisn’twhatdoesthedeceiving.Themindiswhatdeceivesitself.Onceitdeceivesitself,itmakesallsortsofassumptionsaboutitselfandfallsforitself.Whenitmakesitselfsufferinthisway,there’snohelpforit.Thisisthegenuinetruth.Knowclearlythatthemindiswhatdeceivesitself.Whenitdoesn’thavearefuge,itcandeceiveitselfallthetime.

Sowehavetodevelopqualitiesthatthemindcanholdtoandtakerefugein,sothatdefilementswon’tbeabletokeepondeceivingit.Looksothatyoucansee

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moredeeplythroughthings.Trytoanalyzethingstoseewhat’snotgenuine,what’sdressedanddisguised.Thenassoonasyoulookatanything,you’llseewhat’sfakeandmadeup.You’llknow:“Therealthingdoesn’thavethiscolor,thissmell,thisshape.”You’llseehowthingsarealwayschanging.ThisiscalledhavingthequalitiesoftheDhammaasyourrefuge,assomethingtoholdtoasyoulook,hear,smell,taste,andmakecontactwiththings.You’llhavethequalitiesthatknowandseethingsastheyactuallyare—sotheywon’tbeabletodeceiveyou.Youwon’tbeabletodeceiveyourself,foryou’dbeashamedto.Theheartgrowsdisenchantedwithitself,withitsoldways—andwhywoulditwanttodeceiveitselfanymore?It’sseenthatitdoesn’tgainanybenefitfromthatkindofbehavior.

Instead,you’llseehowitreallybenefitsfromitsnewviews.Theymakethemindstill.Clear.Setfreewithasenseofwellbeing.Allitsheavyoldburdensfallaway.Ithasnogreedforgainingalotofthings,forthere’snomoreindulging.Itdoesn’tuseanythingtoindulgeitself.Allitneedsisthefournecessitiestokeeplifegoing—that’senough.Itdoesn’thavetoinvestinanything.Itfindsitshappinessandwellbeinginthestillnessthatcomesfrommeditating.Thethingsarounditthatitusedtofallforandbuildupintoignorancewithoutrealizingit:whenitfocusesonreallyknowingthesethings,itsdelusionsdisband.Ignorancedisappears.Themindgainsknowledgefromthesethingsinlinewithwhattheyactuallyare.Itwisesupanddoesn’tfallforthesethingsasitusedto,doesn’tmisunderstandthemasitusedto.

Andthat’stheendofitsproblems.

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AHOMEFORTHEMIND

…“KNOWINGTHEDHAMMA”meansknowingthetruth.WheredoestheDhammalie?Notfaroffatall.Wherearerūpa-dhammas(physicalphenomena)?Arethereanyphysicalphenomenawithinus?Areanynāma-dhammas(mentalphenomena)withinus?They’rebothwithinus,butwedon’tknowhowtoreadthem,todecipherthem,becausewehaven’tyetstudiedthem.Orevenwhenwehavetriedtostudythem,westillcan’tdeciphertheminlinewiththestandardssetbytheBuddha.Solet’strytodecipherourbody,ouractionsinthought,word,anddeed.Ouractionsdon’tlieanywhereelse.Theyshowthemselvesintheactivityofthebody.SoweusethebodyinlinewiththeDhamma,abstainingfromtheactivitiesthatdefileit:killing,stealing,engaginginillicitsex.Whenweabstainfromthesethings,we’vebegunpracticingtheDhamma.Weabstainfromtellinglies,fromdivisivespeech,fromabusivespeech,fromidlechatter.Whenwe’remindfultoshowrestraintinwhatwesay,wewon’tencounteranydangerscomingfromourspeech.TherearenodangerswhenwepracticeinlinewiththeBuddha’sway.

Asforthemind,wecleanseitbymeditating.Weusemindfulnesstolookaftertheheart,tomakesureitdoesn’tgetinvolvedinanythingdefilingorunclean.Wekeepitcheerful,bloomingandbrightinitsmeditation,ininvestigatingtheDhamma,knowingtheDhamma,seeingtheDhamma,untilitsettlesdowninthestillnessthatwe’vedevelopedandkeptcomposed.Wekeepitbloomingandbright.Whereveryougo,thisishowyoushouldpractice.Makeyourcomposurecontinuous.Themindwillthengainstrength,sothatitcanletgoofitsexternalpreoccupationsandstayfocusedexclusivelywithin:atpeaceandatease,brightandclear,stayingrighthere.

Thenwhenyouwanttogaindiscernment,youcaninvestigate.Focusmindfulnessonkeepingthebodyinmind,andtheninvestigateit.Thisiscalleddhamma-vicaya,investigatingphenomena.Youinvestigatethephysicalphenomenainthebodytoseetheminlinewiththefournobletruths.Youlookatthearisingofphysicalphenomenarighthere.Youlookattheaging,theillness,thedeathofphenomenarightherewithinyou.Ifyoureallylookforit,you’llseethatthebodyisfullofdeath.

Howdoweseedeathwhenthebodyisstillbreathingandabletowalkaround?Wecanseeitifourdiscernmentissubtleandprecise.TheBuddhasawdeathwitheveryin-and-outbreath,sowhycan’twe?HeonceaskedVen.Ānandahowoftenhepaidattentiontodeathinthecourseofaday,andĀnandaanswered,“Onehundredtimes.”TheBuddha’sresponsewas:“You’restilltoocomplacent.You

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shouldpayattentiontodeathwitheveryin-and-outbreath.”Whatkindofdeathcanyoulookatwitheveryin-and-outbreath?Whateverfadesaway,ends,anddisappears:that’sdeath.Asforthedeathofthewholebody,thatcomesclosereveryday,closerwitheachin-and-outbreath.Thisrunsdown,thatwearsout.Wehavetokeepcreatingthingstoreplacewhatgetswornout.Andwhateverwecreatekeepswearingout,too.

Soweshouldkeeptrackofthewearingout—what’scalledvaya-dhamma,degeneration.TheBuddhasawthiswitheverymoment.Thisisthesortofseeingthatallowsustoseethenobletruththatbirthisstressful,agingisstressful.There’snoeaseinaging.Looksothatyouseethisclearly.Painandillnessarestressful,deathisstressful,alltheaffairsthatcomewithbirthcreatehardships,turmoil,andstress.

WhenyouinvestigateinlinewiththeBuddha’sDhamma,you’llseethetruthforyourselfineverywayjustastheBuddhadid.Forit’sallrighthere.You’llgaindiscernmentandintelligence,nolongerdeludedintograspingholdofsufferingandmakingityourself,nolongergraspingholdofinconstantthingsandmakingthemyourself.Whatever’sinconstant,leaveitasinconstantanddon’tmakeityou.Whatever’sstressful,leaveitasstressfulanddon’tmakeityou.There’snoyouinanyofthosethings.Whenyouaimyourinvestigationinthedirectionofseeingthisclearly,themindwillletgoandattainpeace,innersolitude,freefromclinging.

It’saswhenwecarrysomethingheavyonourshoulder.Weknowit’sheavybecauseit’sweighingonourshoulder.Butwhenweputitdown,it’snolongerheavyonus.Inthesameway,whenweseethatbirthisstressful,agingisstressful,illnessisstressful,deathisstressful,thenweshouldexaminethosethingsastheyarisetoseethatthey’renotus.Thenwe’llbeabletoletthemgo.Weshouldlookafterourmindtomakesurethatitdoesn’tgiverisetotheassumptionthatanyofthosethingsareusorours,orthattheyliewithinus.Thosethingsarejustobjects,elements,andweleavethematthat.Stressthenhasnoowneronthereceivingend.It’sjustlikewhenyouputdownaburden:there’snothingheavyaboutitatall.

Sostressisnothingmorethanthingscomingtogethertomakecontact.Supposethatwehaveabighunkoflimestone.Whenweliftitup,it’sheavy.Butifweburnitinafire,pounditintodust,andthewindblowsitaway,thenwhere’stheheaviness?It’snowhereatall.Before,whenthelimestonewasstillintheground,theyhadtouseexplosivestogetitout.Itwassoheavythattheyneededcranestoliftitup.Butnowthatit’spulverized,theheavinessisgone.

It’sthesamewithsufferingandstress.Ifweinvestigatethemdowntothedetails,sothatwecanseethemclearlyforwhattheytrulyare,there’snoselfthereatall.Wegetdowntothebasicelementsofexperience,andweseethatthey’re

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notourselfintheleastlittlebit.Ifwelookatthehairofthehead,it’snotself.Fingernailsandtoenailsarenotself.Lookateverypartofthebodyindetail.Orlookatitselementaryproperties.Exactlywhereareyouinanyofthosethings?There’snoyouinthereatall.

Thesameistruewhenyoulookatfeelings.There’snoyouinthereatall.There’ssimplycontact,thecontactofobjectsagainstthesenses,that’sall.Ifyouletgosothemindcancometorest,noneofthesethingswilltouchitinawaythatweighsonit.Onlydeludedpeoplegrabholdofthesethings,whichiswhytheyfeelweigheddown.Ifweletthemgo,wedon’tfeelweigheddownatall.

Whenweletgooftheaggregates(khandhas),they’renotstressful.Butwedon’tknowhowtoletthemgobecauseofbirth.Likethementalstateyou’vegivenrisetohere:you’vecreateditsothatitwilltakebirth.Onceyou’vegivenrisetoit,then—unlessyou’regivenagoodreason—there’snowayyou’llbewillingtoletitgo.It’sthesameaswhensomeonesuddenlycomestochaseusoutofourhome.Whowouldbewillingtogo?We’dgoonlyifwewereofferedabetterplacetostay—asafer,morecomfortableplacetostay.Ifwewereofferedsuchaplace,whowouldbewillingtostay?Ifwehadabetterplacetogo,wecouldabandonouroldhomewithnoproblem.Inthesameway,ifwe’regoingtoletgooftheblatantaggregates,weneedabetterplacetostay,ahomeforthemind:astateofconcentration.JustliketheBuddhaandhisnobledisciples:whentheyletgooftheblatantaggregates,theyenteredcessation,theyenteredjhāna.Whentheyfullyletgoofallaggregates,theyenterednibbāna.

We,however,don’tyethaveanythingelsetodependon,whichiswhywecan’tletgo.Wefirsthavetocreatearefugeforourselves.Attheveryleast,weshouldtrytokeepbuddho,buddho,inmind.Whenwereallyreachbuddho—whenthemindisreallyamindawake—thenwecandependonit.

Atthemoment,though,wehaven’treachedthemindawake.We’vereachednothingbutthedemonsofdefilement,andtheykeephauntingus.We’reembroiledwithnothingbutdemons;welieundertheirpower.Forinstance,maccu-māra:thedemonofdeath,whosefollowers—agingandillness—wefearsomuch.Kilesa-māra:delusionsanddefilements.Thesearealldemons.Khandha-māra:ourattachmentstothefiveaggregatesarealldemons.Abhisaṅkhāra-māra:thethoughtswecreate,goodorbad,arealldemonsifwefallforthem—meritoriouscreations,demeritoriouscreations,imperturbablecreations.Thesearethesubtledemons,thedemonsthatbedeviledtheBuddhaonthewaytoAwakening,dressingthemselvesupasthisandthat.Ifwe’regoingtoletgoofthesethings,wefirstneedsomethingbettertoholdonto.Attheveryleastweneedjhāna,levelsofmentalstillnessmorerefinedthanwhatwehaveatpresent.

SoweshouldalltrytogiverisetotherefinedlevelsofpeaceandeaseI’ve

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mentionedhere.Whenwegetdisenchantedwithturmoil,wecanenterastateofstillness.Whenwegetdisenchantedwithdefilement,wecancleansetheheartandmakeitbrightwiththeDhamma.We’llhaveourhomeintheDhamma,inconcentration.Theheartcanthendelight,withraptureandeaseasitsfood.We’llhavenodesireforcoarsefood.Whenweletgooftheblatantaggregates,weentertheBrahmālevelofrefinedraptureandease.

Eventhesensualdevasdon’teatcoarsefoodlikeours.AsfortheBrahmās,they’reevenclearerthanthat,moreradiantwithinthemselves.Theirjhānaispure,andtheirconcentrationradiant.Thefoodofthisconcentrationistheraptureandeasetheyexperience.Evenhereonthehumanlevel,whenwegainrapturefromconcentration,wefeelfullandhappy.Ifweabandontheblatantaggregates,leavingjustthemindinitsattainmentofconcentration,imaginehowmuchpleasureandeasetherewillbe.We’llnolongerhavetobeinvolvedintheseheavyburdensofours.Wewon’thavetoworryaboutthefiveortheeightpreceptsbecausewe’llbeinapurestateofjhānawithnothoughtofgettingstuckonanythingdefiling.Themindwillbebright.

Whenyouunderstandthis,focusbackonyourheart.Examineitcarefully.Beintentonpracticingheedfully,andyou’llmeetwithprosperityandease.

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RIGHTCONCENTRATION

INGENERALTERMS,rightconcentrationmeansestablishingthemindrightly.Ononelevel,thiscanapplytoallthefactorsofthepath.Youhavetostartoutbysettingthemindonrightview.Inotherwords,youuseyourdiscernmenttogathertogetheralltheDhammayou’veheard.Thenwhenyousetthemindonrightresolve,that’salsoawayofestablishingitrightly.Thenyousetitonrightspeech,speakingonlythingsthatareright.Yousetitonrightactivity,examiningyouractivitiesandthenforcingyourself,watchingoveryourself,tokeepyouractivitiesfirmlyinlinewithwhat’sright.Asforrightlivelihood,yousetyourmindonprovidingforyourlivelihoodexclusivelyinarightway.You’refirminnotmakingalivelihoodinwaysthatarewrong,notactinginwaysthatarewrong,notspeakinginwaysthatarecorruptandwrong.Youwon’tmakeanyeffortinwaysthatgooffthepath,youwon’tbemindfulinwaysthatlieoutsidethepath.You’llkeepbeingmindfulinwaysthatstayonthepath.Youmakethisvowtoyourselfasafirmdetermination.Thisisonelevelofestablishingthemindrightly.

ButwhatIwanttotalkabouttodayisrightconcentrationintheareaofmeditation:inotherwords,rightmeditation,bothintheareaoftranquilitymeditationandintheareaofinsightmeditation.Youusethetechniquesoftranquilitymeditationtobringthemindtostillness.Whenyoumakethemindstill,firminskillfulqualities,that’soneaspectofrightconcentration.Ifthemindisn’tfirmlyestablishedinskillfulqualities,itcan’tgrowstill.Ifunskillfulqualitiesariseinthemind,itcan’tsettledownandenterconcentration.Thisiswhy,whentheBuddhadescribesthemindenteringconcentration,hesays,“Viviccevakāmehi”:quitesecludedfromsensualpreoccupations.Themindisn’tinvolved,doesn’tinclineitselftowardsightsthatwillgiverisetoinfatuationanddesire.Itdoesn’tinclineitselftowardsoundsthatitlikes,towardaromas,tastes,ortactilesensationsforwhichitfeelsinfatuationthroughthepowerofdesire.Atthesametime,itdoesn’tinclineitselftowarddesireforthosethings.Beforethemindcansettleintoconcentration,ithastoletgoofthesefivetypesofpreoccupations.Thisiscalledviviccevakāmehi,quitesecludedfromsensualpreoccupations.

Viviccaakusalehidhammehi:quitesecludedfromtheunskillfulqualitiescalledthefivehindrances.Forexample,thefirsthindranceissensualdesire.Whenyousitinmeditationandadefilementarisesinthemind,whenyouthinkofsomethingandfeeldesireforaninternaloranexternalform,whenyougetinfatuatedwiththethingsyou’veseenandknowninthepast,that’scalledsensualdesire.

Orifyouthinkofsomethingthatmakesyoudissatisfiedtothepointoffeeling

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illwillforcertainpeopleorobjects,that’sthehindranceofillwill.Thingsfromthepastthatupsetyousuddenlyariseagaininthepresent,bargetheirwayintoobstructthestillnessofyourmind.Whenthemindgetsupsetinthisway,that’sanunskillfulmentalstateactingasanobstacletoconcentration.

Orslothandtorpor:asenseoflazinessandinattentivenesswhenthemindisn’tintentonitsworkandsoletsgooutoflazinessandcarelessness.Itgetsdrowsysothatitcan’tbeintentonitsmeditation.Yousitherethinkingbuddho,buddho,butinsteadoffocusingthemindtogetitfirmlyestablishedsothatitcangainknowledgeandunderstandingfromitsbuddho,youthrowbuddhoawaytogoplaywithsomethingelse.Asawarenessgetsmorerefined,yougetdrowsyandfallasleeporelseletdelusionovercomethemind.Thisisanunskillfulmentalstatecalledslothandtorpor.

Thenthere’srestlessnessandanxiety,whenmindfulnessisn’tkeepingcontroloverthings,andthemindfollowsitspreoccupationsastheyshootouttothingsyoulikeanddon’tlike.Thenormalstateofpeople’smindsisthat,whenmindfulnessisn’tincharge,themindcan’tsitstill.It’sboundtokeepthinkingabout108differentkindsofthings.Sowhenyou’repracticingconcentrationyouhavetoexerciserestraint,youhavetobecarefulthattheminddoesn’tgetscatteredabout.Youhavetobemindfulofthepresentandalerttothepresent,too.Whenyoutrytokeepbuddhoinmind,youhavetobealertatthesametimetowatchoveryourbuddho.Orifyou’regoingtobemindfulofthepartsofthebody—likehairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin—youshouldfocusononlyonepartatatime,makingsurethatyou’rebothmindfulandalerttoyourmindfulness,tomakesureyoudon’tgobeingmindfulofotherthings.That’showyoucancutoffrestlessnessandanxiety.

Asyoukeepbeingmindfulofthesamethingforalongtime,thebodywillgraduallycalmdownandrelax.Thepreoccupationsofthemindwillcalmdown,too,sothatthemindcangrowstill.Itgrowsstillbecauseyoukeepitundercontrol.Youweakenitsunruliness—aswhenyoupullfuelawayfromaburningfire.Asyoukeeppullingawaythefuel,thefiregraduallygrowsweakerandweaker.Andwhat’sthefuelforthemind’sunruliness?Forgetfulness.Inattentiveness.Thisinattentivenessisthefuelbothforrestlessnessandanxietyandforslothandtorpor.Whenyoukeepmindfulnessandalertnessincharge,youcutawayforgetfulnessandinattentiveness.Astheseformsofdelusionaresubdued,theylosetheirpower.Theygraduallydisband,leavingnothingbutawarenessofbuddhoorwhateveryourmeditationobjectis.Asyoukeeplookingafteryourmeditationobjectfirmly,withoutgrowinginattentive,restlessnesswilldisappear.Drowsinesswilldisappear.Themindwillgetfirmlyestablishedinrightconcentration.

Thisishowyouenterrightconcentration.Youhavetodependonboth

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mindfulnessandalertnesstogether.Rightconcentrationcan’tsimplyariseonitsown.Itneedssupportingfactors.Thefirstsevenfactorsofthepatharethesupportsforrightconcentration,oritsrequisites,thethingsitneedstodependon.Itneedsrightview,rightresolve,rightspeech,rightactivity,rightlivelihood,righteffort,andrightmindfulness.Asyoukeepdevelopingthebeginningfactorsofthepath,concentrationbecomesmoreandmorerefined,stepbystep.Whenthemindistrainedandsuffusedwiththesequalities,it’sabletoletgoofsensualpreoccupations,abletoletgoofunskillfulmentalqualities.Viviccevakāmehiviviccaakusalehidhammehi.Whenit’ssecludedfromsensualpreoccupations,secludedfromunskillfulqualities,itcanenterconcentration.Itexperiencesstillness,rapture,pleasure,singlenessofpreoccupation.Bothbodyandmindfeellight.

Inthefirststage,themindisn’ttotallyrefinedbecauseitstillhasdirectedthoughtandevaluationinthefactorsofitsconcentration.Ifyourmindfulnessisingoodshapeandcankeepitsobjectinmindwithoutpullingaway,ifyoureffortisrightandalertnesskeepswatchingoverthings,thecoarserpartsofyourconcentrationwilldropawayandthemindwillgrowmorerefinedstepbystep.Directedthoughtandevaluation—thecoarserparts—willdropawaybecausetheycan’tfollowintothatmorerefinedstage.Allthat’sleftisrapture,pleasure,andsinglenessofpreoccupation.Asyoukeeponmeditatingwithoutlet-up,thingskeepgrowingmorerefinedstepbystep.Rapture,whichiscoarserthanpleasure,willdropaway,leavingthepleasure.Pleasureiscoarserthanequanimity.Asyoukeepcontemplatingwhilethemindgrowsmorerefined,thepleasurewilldisappear,leavingjustequanimity.Aslongasthere’sstillpleasure,equanimitycan’tarise.Aslongasthemindisstillfeedingoffpleasure,it’sstillengagedwithsomethingcoarse.Butasyoukeepupyourpersistenteffortuntilyouseethatthispleasurestillcomesunderthethreecharacteristicsofinconstancy,stress,andnot-self,thatit’spartoftheaggregateoffeeling,themindwillletgoofthatcoarseraspectandsettledownwithequanimity.Eventhoughequanimity,too,ispartofthefeelingaggregate,it’safeelingrefinedenoughtocleansethemindtothepointwhereitcangiverisetoknowledgeofrefinedlevelsofDhamma.

Whenthemindreachesthislevel,it’sfirmandunwaveringbecauseit’stotallyneutral.Itdoesn’twaverwhentheeyeseesaform,theearhearsasound,thenosesmellsanaroma,thetonguetastesaflavor,thebodyfeelsatactilesensation,oranideacomestothemind.Noneofthesethingscanmakethemindwaverwhenit’sinthefactorsofjhāna.Itmaintainsahighlevelofpurity.Thisisrightconcentration.

Weshouldalldeveloptranquilitymeditation,whichcangivetemporaryrespitefromsufferingandstress.Butinastatelikethis,yousimplyhavemindfulnessincharge.Discernmentisstilltooweaktouprootthemostrefined

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levelsofdefilementandobsessions(anusaya).Thus,forourrightconcentrationtobecomplete,we’retaughtnottogetcarriedawaywiththesenseofpleasureitbrings.Whenthemindhasbeenstillforanappropriateamountoftime,weshouldthenapplythemindtocontemplatingthefiveaggregates,fortheseaggregatesarethebasisforinsightmeditation.Youcan’tdevelopinsightmeditationoutsideofthefiveaggregates—theaggregatesofform,feeling,perception,thought-fabrications,andconsciousness—fortheseaggregateslierightwithinus.They’rerightnexttous,withusatalltimes.

So.Howdoyoudeveloptheaggregateofformasabasisforinsightmeditation?Youhavetoseeitclearlyinlinewithitstruththatformisinconstant.Thisishowyoubegin.Asyoudevelopinsightmeditation,youhavetocontemplatedowntothedetails.Whatisform?Formcovershairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin,andallthefourgreatelementsthatwecantouchandsee.Asforsubsidiaryforms,theycan’tbeseenwiththeeye,buttheycanbetouched,andtheydependonthefourgreatelements.Forexample,soundisatypeofform,atypeofsubsidiaryform.Aromas,flavors,tactilesensationsaresubsidiaryformsthatdependonthefourgreatelements.Thesensorypowersoftheeye,ear,nose,tongue,andbodyaresubsidiaryforms—they’rephysicalevents,notmentalevents,youknow.Thentherearemasculinityandfemininity,whichfashionthebodytobemaleorfemale,andcreatedifferencesinmaleandfemalevoices,manners,andothercharacteristics.Thenthere’stheheart,andthenviññati-rūpa,whichallowsforthebodytomove,forspeechtobespoken.

SotheBuddhataughtthatweshouldcontemplateforminallitsaspectssoastogaintheinsightenablingustowithdrawallourclingingassumptionsthatthey’reusorours.Howdoesthishappen?Whenwecontemplate,we’llseethatyaṁkiñcirūpaṁatītānāgata-paccuppannaṁ:allform—past,future,orpresent;internalorexternal;blatantorsubtle;commonorsublime;farornear—isinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.Itallliesunderthethreecharacteristics.Whenwerememberthis,that’scalledpariyatti-dhamma,theDhammaofstudy.Whenweactuallytakethingsapartandcontemplatethemonebyonetothepointwherewegaintrueknowledgeandvision,that’scalledthepracticeofinsightmeditation,thediscernmentarisinginlinewiththewaythingsactuallyare.

Thisisashortexplanationofinsightmeditation,focusedjustontheaggregateofform.Asforfeeling—thepleasures,pains,andfeelingsofneitherpleasurenorpainwithinus—oncewe’vetrulyseenform,we’llseethatthesamethingsapplytofeeling.It’sinconstant.Whenit’sinconstant,it’llhavetomakeusundergosufferingandstressbecauseofthatinconstancy.We’llbepilingsufferingontopofsuffering.Actually,there’snoreasonwhythemindshouldsufferfromthesethings,butwestillmanagetomakeourselvessufferbecauseofthem.Eventhoughthey’renot-self,there’ssufferingbecausewedon’tknow.There’sinconstancy

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becausewedon’tknow.Unlesswedevelopinsightmeditationtoseeclearlyandknowtruly,wewon’tbeabletodestroythesubtle,latenttendencyofignorance,thelatenttendencyofbecoming,thelatenttendencyofsensualitywithinourselves.

Butifwe’reabletodevelopinsightmeditationtothepointwhereweseeformclearlyintermsofthethreecharacteristicsofinconstancy,stress,andnot-self,thendisenchantmentwillarise.Whenthelatenttendenciesofignoranceandbecomingaredestroyed,thelatenttendencyofsensualitywillhavenoplacetostand.There’snothingitcanfabricate,forthere’snodelusion.Whenignorancedisbands,fabricationsdisband.Whenfabricationsdisband,allthesufferingthatdependsonfabricationwillhavetodisbandaswell.

ThisiswhyweshouldpracticemeditationinlinewiththefactorsofthenobleeightfoldpathassetdownbytheBuddha.Tocondenseitevenfurther,therearethreetrainings:virtue,concentration,anddiscernment.Virtue—exercisingrestraintoverourwordsanddeeds—ispartofthepath.Tranquilitymeditationandinsightmeditationcomeunderconcentration.Sovirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentcoverthepath.Orifyouwanttocondensethingsevenfurther,therearephysicalphenomenaandmentalphenomena—i.e.,thebodyandmind.Whenwecorrectlyunderstandthecharacteristicsofthebody,we’llseeintothewaysthebodyandmindareinterrelated.Thenwe’llbeabletoseparatethemout.We’llseewhat’snot-selfandwhatisn’tnot-self.Thingsinandofthemselvesaren’tnot-self,fortheyeachhaveanin-and-of-themselves.It’snotthecasethatthere’snothingthereatall.Iftherewerenothingthereatall,howwouldtherebecontact?Thinkaboutit.Takethefireelement:whocoulddestroyit?Eventhoughit’snot-self,it’sgotanin-and-of-itself.Thesameholdstruewiththeotherelements.Inotherwords,thesethingsstillexist,simplythatthere’snomoreclinging.

SoIaskthatyouunderstandthisandthenputitcorrectlyintopracticesoastomeetwithhappinessandprogress.

That’senoughexplanationfornow.Keeponmeditatinguntilthetimeisup.

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TOCOMPREHENDSUFFERING

SURVEYYOURBODY.Surveyyourmind.You’vebeenpracticingmeditationcontinuously,soevenifyourmindisn’tyetquiet,eventhoughithasn’treachedalevelofconcentrationassolidasyou’dlikeittobe,meditationisstillaskillfulactivityintermsofdevelopingconviction,developingpersistence.Attheveryleastitwillgiveresultsonthesensorylevel,makingyouanintelligentperson,atthesametimedevelopingtheperfectionsofyourcharacteronintothefuture.Sotrynottogetdiscouraged.Don’tletyourselfthinkthatyouhaven’tseenanyresultsfromyourmeditation.Whenyoucomerightdowntoit,whatdoyouwantfromyourmeditation?Youmeditatetomakethemindquiet,andthemindbecomesquietfromlettinggo.That’swhatthemeditationis:lettinggo.Ifyoumeditateinorderto“get”something,that’scraving,thecauseofsuffering.Meditationisn’tanaffairofcraving.TheDhammaisalreadyhere,soallwehavetodoisstudyitsothatwe’llknowthetruth.Thetruthisn’tsomethingnew.It’ssomethingthat’sbeenherefromtimeimmemorial.

AlltheBuddhasofthepasthaveawakenedtothisverysameDhamma,thisverysametruth.Eventhoughthecosmoshaschangedfromoneaeontoanother,theDhammahasn’tchangedalongwiththecosmos.NomatterwhichaeonaparticularBuddhawasbornin,heawakenedtothesameoldtruth.Hetaughtthesameoldtruth.ThesameDhamma,thesametruth,isalwaysrighthereallthetime.It’ssimplythatwedon’trecognizeit.Wehaven’tstudieditdowntoitselementalproperties.AllIaskisthatyoubeintentonstudyingit.Thetruthisalwaysthetruth.It’salwayspresent.

ThetruththeBuddhataughtstartswiththeprinciplethatstress-and-sufferingisatruth.Doyouhaveanystressandsuffering?Examineyourselfcarefully.Isthereanystressandsufferingwithinyou?Oristherenoneatall?Aslongasthere’ssufferingwithinyou,thetruthofthenobletruthstaughtbytheBuddhaisstillthere.Whenyou’remindfultokeepyoureyeonthesufferingappearingwithinyou,you’restudyingthetruthinlinewithwhatitactuallyis.

Butinadditiontopointingoutthetruthofsuffering,theBuddhaalsotaughtthepathtotheendofsuffering.This,too,isatruth.TheBuddhahasguaranteedthatwhenwedevelopitinfullmeasure,we’llgainreleasefromstressandsuffering.It’snotthecasethatsufferingistheonlytruth,thatwehavetolieburiedinstressandsuffering.TheBuddhafoundawayoutofsuffering,likeanintelligentdoctorwhonotonlyunderstandsdiseasesbutalsoknowsamiraculousmedicinetocurethem.

Thisiswhythetruthofthepathissoimportant,formany,manypeoplewho

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haveputitintopracticehavegottenresults.Thetruthofthepathissomethingweputintopracticetogainreleasefromsuffering—aswechantedjustnow:

Yedukkhaṁnappajānāti,Thosewhodon’tdiscernsuffering,Athodukkhassasambhavaṁsuffering’scause…Tañcamaggaṁnajānātiwhodon’tunderstandthepath,Dukkhūpasamagāminaṁthewaytothestillingofsuffering…Tevejāti-jarūpagāthey’llreturntobirthandagingagain.

Ifwedon’tcomprehendsufferingandthewaytotheendofsuffering,we’llhavetoexperiencebirth,aging,anddeath,whicharethecausesnotonlyofsufferingbutalsoofthecravingleadingtomoresuffering.

Weshouldtakejoyinthefactthatwehaveallthenobletruthsweneed.Wehavesuffering,andthepathtotheendofsufferingdoesn’tliefaraway.Whenwelookintothetexts,wefindthattheBuddhaandhisnobledisciplesdidn’tpracticeanythingfaraway.Theypurifiedtheactionsoftheirbodiesandminds.Theydidthisbyknowingtheirownbodiesandmindsinlinewithwhattheyactuallywere.Whenwedon’tknowourownbodiesandmindsastheyactuallyare,that’sacauseofsuffering.Whenwepracticeknowingourownbodies,ourownminds,astheyactuallyare,that’sthepathtoreleasefromsuffering.Asidefromthis,there’snopathatall.

Wealreadyhaveabody.Wealreadyhaveamind—thisknowingproperty.Sowetakethisknowingpropertyandputittousebystudyingthebodyinlinewithitsthreecharacteristics:aniccatā,inconstancy;dukkhatā,stressfulness;andanattatā,not-selfness.Inconstancyandstressfulnesslieonthesideofsufferinganditscause.Wehavetostudythingsthatareinconstantinordertoseewhotheyare,who’sresponsibleforthem,whoreallyownsthem.Thisissueofinconstancyisreallyimportant.Rūpaṁaniccaṁ:formisinconstant.Whoownstheform?Rūpaṁdukkhaṁ:formisstressful.Who’sonthereceivingendofthestress?Stressissomethingthathastodependoncausesandconditionsinordertoarise.Itdoesn’tcomeonitsown.Justlikesound:wehavetodependoncontactinordertohearit.Ifthere’snocontact,wewon’tknowwherethere’sanysound.Inthesameway,stressdependsoncontact.Ifthere’snocontact,wewon’tknowwherethere’sanystress.Ifstressandsufferingwereabletoburnusallontheirown,theBuddhawouldneverhavebeenabletogainreleasefromthem.Therewouldbeno

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wayforustopractice,fornomatterwhat,sufferingwouldkeeponburningusallonitsown.Butthefactofthematteristhatwhenwepractice,wecangainrelieffromsuffering,becausesufferingisn’tbuiltintothemind,it’snotbuiltintothisknowingproperty.Ithastodependoncontactthroughthesensemediainorderforittoarise.

Thisiswhysagesstudythetruth.Aswhenwechant:

Ayaṁkhomekāyo,Thisbodyofmine,Uddhaṁpādatalāfromthesolesofthefeetonup,Adhokesamatthakāfromthecrownoftheheadondown,Taca-pariyantosurroundedbyskin.

Withinthisbodywehaveallfiveaggregates:form,feeling,perception,thought-fabrications,andconsciousness.Formisthecoarsestoftheaggregates,forwecantouchitwithourhandandseeitwithoureyes.Asforfeeling,perception,thought-fabrications,andconsciousness,they’rementalphenomena.Eventhoughwecan’ttouchthemwiththebody,wecanstillknowthemandexperiencethem.Forinstance,weconstantlyhavefeelingsofpleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain.Perception:werememberthingsandlabelthem.Thought-fabricationcreatesthoughts,andconsciousnessnoticesthings.Weallnoticethings,labelthem,fabricatethoughtsaboutthem,andexperiencepleasureandpainbecauseofthem.

Theprimaryissueistheformofthebody.TheBuddhataughtustostudyitinordertoknowthenobletruthsinbothformandmentalphenomena.Whenhetaughtthatbirthissuffering,agingissuffering,deathissuffering,hewasreferringtothebirth,aging,anddeathrighthereattheformwherethefiveaggregatesmeet—thisformwealreadyhave.Andyetmostofusdon’tliketoreflectonthetruthofthesethings.Wethinkthatbirthispleasurable.Wegetpleasureandstressallconfused.It’sbecausewedon’trealizethetruthofthesethingsthatwedon’tsearchforawayout.TheBuddha,however,knewthistruth,whichwaswhyhepracticedcontemplatingit.Hetestedtoseeifbirthispleasurablebynoticingifthemindcouldstayquietwithbirth:“Arethereanypains?Anythingdisturbingthemind?Andwhat’spaininganddisturbingthemindasidefromthebirth,thearisingofthings?”It’sbecauseofthebirthofthebodythatwehavetokeepfindingfoodforit,requisitestokeepitgoing.Greed,anger,anddelusionarisebecauseofbirth.Andoncethere’sbirth,there’saging,deterioration,wearingdown,wearing

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downallthetime.Whateverwegetrunsout,runsouteveryday,wearsdowneveryday.

TheBuddhaawakenedtothetruththatbirthisn’tpleasurableatall.Theonlypleasureiswhen,ifwegethungry,weeatenoughtomakethehungergoawayforalittlewhile.Butsoonwegethungryagain.Whenwegethotoutinthesun,wetakecoverintheshadetocooldownabit,butthenwestartfeelinghotagain.Whenwegettired,werest.Butthenifweliedownforalongtime,westartfeelingstiff.Ifwewalkforalongtime,wegetweary.Whenthisisthewaythingsare,themindcan’tfindanypeaceorrest.Itgetsdisturbedandgivesrisetodefilementbecauseofbirth.Andthat’snottheendofit.Oncebirthtakesplace,it’sfollowedbyaginganddeterioration.Nomatterhowmuchyoulookafterthebody,itwon’tstaywithyou.Intheend,itallfallsapart.Andonceitdies,there’snoonewhocanstayinchargeofit.Ifwecometooursensesonlyatthatpoint,andrealizeonlywhenit’salreadydeadthatithastodie,it’stoolatetodoanythingaboutit.

Butifwegainconvictioninthesetruthsnowinthepresentbeforedeathcomes,wewon’tbecomplacentaboutouryouthorlife.Ifwecanbemindfulatalltimesthatdeathisinevitable,that—eventhoughwemaybeasstrongasabullelephant—adiseasecouldcomealongatanytimeandoppressustothepointwherewecan’tevensitup,can’tdoanythingtohelpourselves:whenwerealizethis,we’resaidnottobecomplacentinourhealth.Thenwecanactinwaystrulybenefitingourselves,providinguswiththerefugewe’llneedwhenwecannolongertakerefugeinouryouth,health,orlife.Whereveryoulookinthebodyyouseeitwearingdown.Whereveryoulookyouseediseases.Whereveryoulookyouseethingsthatareunclean.Nothingatallinthebodyisreallystrongorlasting.Whenyouseethisclearly,you’llnolongerbefooledintoclingingtoit.Youcananalyzethebodyintoitspartsandseethatthey’reallinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.Whenyoudevelopclearinsightintonot-self,you’llbeabletoshakefreeofstressandinconstancy.That’sbecauseinconstancyisanot-selfaffair;stressisanot-selfaffair.They’renotouraffairs.Sowhatdowehopetogainbylettingourselvesstruggleandgetdefiledoverthem?

Thisiswhythenobleones,whentheyseethesetruths,callthemthedangersinthecyclesofsaṁsāra.Youhavetounderstandwhat’smeantbytheterm,“cycle.”There’sthecycleofdefilement,thecycleofaction,andthecycleoftheresultsofaction.

Thecycleofdefilementistheignorancethatmakesthemindstupidanddefiled.Thesedefilementsarethecauseofstress,suffering,anddanger.

Thenthere’sthecycleofaction.Anyactionswedoundertheinfluenceofdefilementkeepusspinninginthecycle,actingsometimesinskillfulways,sometimesinunskillfulones.Evenskillfulactionscanleadtodelusion,youknow.Whenweexperiencegoodsights,sounds,status,orwealthasaresultofour

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skillfulactions,wecanturnunskillful,careless,andcomplacent,becausewegetdeludedintoinvestingoursenseofselfinthosethings.Whentheystartchangingagainstourdesires,wegrowfrustratedandstartactinginevilways.Whentheyleaveus,weactinunskillfulways.Thiscausesthecycleofactionintermsofbothourphysicalandverbalacts.

Whenweactinwaysthatareunskillful,thiscausesthecycleofresultstobepainful.Whenweexperiencethispainandsuffering,themindbecomesdefiled.Ourvisiongetsobscuredbecausethesufferingovercomesus.Thisgivesrisetoangeraswellastogreedforthethingswewant,andthisstartsthecycleofdefilementagain.

Forthisreason,ifwecancomprehendsufferingaspartofthiscycle,wecanblockthecycleofdefilementthatwouldgiverisetonewcyclesofactionandresults.Solet’sstudythetruthofsufferingsothatwecancutthesecyclesthroughdiscernmentintheformofrightview,whichisafactorofthenoblepath.Let’sfosterandstrengthenthepathbyknowingthesufferinginbirth,aging,illness,anddeath.Whenwecomprehendsufferingforwhatitactuallyis,wedon’thavetoworryaboutthecauseofsuffering,forhowcanitarisewhenweseethedrawbacksofitsresults?Oncetrueknowledgehasarisen,howcanignorancearise?

It’saswhenwe’reinthedarkness.Ifwetrytorunaroundtearingdownthedarkness,itcan’tbetorndown.Ifwetrytorunaroundsnatchingawaythedarkness,itcan’tbesnatchedaway.Thedarknesscan’tbedispersedbyus.Ithastobedispersedbylight.Whenwelightafire,thedarknessdisappearsonitsown.Thesamewithignorance:itcan’tbedispersedthroughourthinking.Ithastobedispersedthroughclear-seeingdiscernment.Oncewegiverisetodiscernment,thecauseofsufferingdisappearsonitsown,withoutourhavingtogetinvolvedwithit.

Sotrytogiverisetoclear-seeingdiscernmentinfullmeasure,andyou’llgainreleasefromsufferingwithoutadoubt.Bereallyintent.

That’senoughfornow.Keeponmeditating.

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THESTRATEGYOFAPEACEFULMIND

PEACEMEANSLETTINGGOofmentalobjectssothatnothingcomesintodisturbthemind.Allthat’sleftisanaturedevoidoffabrication.Eventhenibbānawewanttoreachisnothingotherthanapeacenotfabricatedbyconditions.Asforthepeacewedevelopthroughvarioustechniquesbywhichthemindgathersintoconcentration,orgathersintostillness,that’sthepeaceofthemindgatheringin.Itstopsfabricating.Itstopsholdingontotheaggregates.

Weshouldviewthissortofpeace,inwhichweletgooftheaggregates,asastrategy.Whenthemindisn’tatpeace,that’sbecauseitdoesn’tletgo.Itholdsontothingsasitsselforbelongingtoitsself.Asaresult,itsuffers.Itfeelsstress.Themindtakesitsstanceinform,infeelings,inperceptions,inconsciousness.Itseizesholdofthesethings,butthesethingsareinconstant.Whentheychange,theyleadtodisappointment.Themindthenthrashesaroundandpilesonmorestressandsuffering.Sowehavetoviewpeaceasourstrategy—thepeacewetrytogiveriseto—seeingitasahighlevelofhappiness.Asforanylackofpeace,weshouldviewthatassuffering.Themindlackspeacebecausedefilementsdisturbit.Thishappensbecausethemindisn’tskillful,andthemindisn’tskillfulbecauseofdelusion.

Sowefocusonpeaceandonthestressofdisturbanceasourstrategies.Peaceweregardasthegoalforwhichwe’repracticing.Stressweuseasanobjectofcontemplation,asameansfordestroyingdelusion,intoxication,heedlessness,ourhankeringforthings.Thestrategybywhichwecanbringthemindtopeacerequiresthatweseethestressanddrawbacksinherentintheaggregates.Aslongaswekeephankeringaftertheaggregates,aslongaswe’redeludedbysights,sounds,smells,tastes,tactilesensations,andideasfoundintheaggregates,thepeacewewantcan’tlast,forthesethingsareinconstant.Thisinconstancyiswhatleadstothestressandsufferingweseeallaroundus.Wetakeourstanceinformsthatareinconstant.Oryoucouldsaythatweseizeholdofformsthatareinconstant.Weliveinformsthatareinconstant.Wetakeastanceinfeeling.Weseizeholdoffeeling.

Whydoweseizeholdofit?Becausewe’vefabricateditintobeingfromhavingseizedholdoffeelinginthepast.Thecausefromthepastbecomestheeffectinthepresent.Toletgoofthefeelinginthepresent,wehavetoexaminethingsuntilweseetheinconstancy,thestressinform,feeling,perception,fabrication,andconsciousness.Thenthemindwon’tbedeluded.Thisisourpath.Thisistherightviewthatfostersdiscernment.Inthisway,stressisthemeansfordevelopingknowledgeandvision.Ifthereweren’tanystressorsuffering,whatwouldwetake

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asourfocus?Actually,stressandsufferingarealreadythere,sowhydon’tweseethemforwhattheyare?Becausewehaven’theardtheDhamma—orwehaveheardit,butwe’velistenedinanaimlessway,withnotruthinourlistening,ourawareness,ouractions.

Sowehavetobecertain,earnest,andtrueinourheart.Afterall,sufferingisanearnesttruth.Ifwejustplayatcontemplation,simplylettingthingshappenontheirown,that’snotmeditation.Itgivesusnoproof,doesn’tdevelopthemind.Ifyou’regoingtofocusonanything,focusonitsothatyoucomprehendit,sothatyouseeitstruth,sothatyoucangrowdisenchantedwithstressandsuffering,andcanabandontheoriginationofstressandsufferinginlinewithitstruth.Don’tjustgothroughthemotions.

WhenIwenttostaywithAjaanMun,thefirstthinghespokeaboutwasthis:beingtruthful,earnest.Hesaid,“You’veordainedinearnestness.Youdidn’tordaininplay.Youordainedwithconviction,anddiditproperlywiththeSanghaandyourpreceptoradmittingyoutothecommunityofmonks.EverythingwasdoneinlinewiththeBuddha’sinstructions.Soyouhaveyourguaranteethatyou’reagenuinemonkontheconventionallevel.Butyourstatusasamonkisn’tyetcomplete.Youneedtobeearnestinyourpractice,tocompleteallthreepartsoftheTripleTraining—heightenedvirtue,heightenedmind,heighteneddiscernment—untilyougaintrueknowledgeofwhattheBuddhataught.Youhavetopracticeallthewaytotheend,sothatyoucangaintrueknowledge,throughproperdiscernment,ofthenobletruths.”

Stress,forinstance,isanobletruth.It’srightthereinfrontofyou.Whydon’tyoubecomedisenchantedwithit?Becauseyoudon’tseeit,don’tseethecausefromwhichitcomes.Orwhenyouseethecause,youdon’tseeitsconnectiontostress.Whyisthat?Becausedelusiongetsintheway.Youseeprettysights,hearlovelysounds,smellnicearomas,tastegoodflavors,andthenyoufallforthem.Yougetcarriedawayandgraspafterthem,thinkingthatyou’veacquiredsomething.Asforthethingsyoudon’tyethave,youwanttoacquirethem.Onceyouacquirethem,youfallforthemandgetallattachedandentangled.Thisistheoriginationofsuffering.Whenthesethingsareinconstant,theystopbeingpeaceful.Theybecomeaturmoilbecausethey’reinconstantallthetime.

Haveyoueveracquiredanythingthat’sconstantandlasting?Hasanyoneeveracquiredanythingthat’sconstantandlasting?Whenyouacquiremoney,ahome,acar,aboat,whatever—achildoragrandchild—arethesethingsconstant?Stable?Dotheymakethemindconstantandstable?

Youhavetocontemplatesufferingandstressdowntothedetailsandseeallthewaythrough.Don’tjustgothroughthemotions.Focusonsightsandsoundsingeneral—everythinginsideoroutsidewherethemindtakesupresidence.They’realljustlikeourbody—they’reallbasedonform.Hairoftheheadisa

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form,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin—everypart—thebones.Ifyoutookthebonesout,howcouldtherestofthebodystay?Evenwhenyoudon’ttakethemout,they’regoingtogoontheirown.Everypartisgoingtofallaway.Theywon’tstaytogetherlikethisforever.Whateveryouacquire—goodorbad,pleasantorunpleasant—youhavetoinvestigateit.Askyourself:Allthesethingsthatyouholdonto,thatyouloveanddelightin,thatyouhavetokeepcaringfor,fromfearofhunger,heat,cold,difficulties,pains,andillnesses,allthesethingsthatyou’vebeencaringforallalong:Whathaveyougainedfromthem?Allyou’vegottoshowisthatyoucan’tmeditateandbringthemindtopeace,radiance,orpurity,allbecauseyou’resopossessiveofthesethings.

WhatI’msayinghereisatruththat’strueforeveryone.Eachofthesewordsappliestoeachoneofus.Thisisthetruth.It’swhattheBuddhasaidwhenhewassummarizingthebasicprincipleofsufferingandstress.

Soweshouldusesufferingandstressasourtoolindestroyingtheoriginationofsuffering,sothatwewon’tbedeludedbycraving.Ifwedon’tmakeuseofsufferingandstress,there’snootherwaywecandestroyit.We’llkeepfallingforit,delightinginit.Butifweseehowthingsareinconstantandstressful,wewon’tfallforcravinganylonger.We’llseehowwe’vebeentakingbirthanddying,dyingandtakingbirth,endlessly,allbecauseweseethisthingasdelicious,thatasdelicious,thisassweet-smelling,thatassweet-smelling,thisassoft,thatassoft.Allofthisistheoriginationofstress.We’redeludedaboutthesethings,wegetinfatuatedwiththem.Wedon’tgetinfatuatedwithsuffering.Aslongaswe’reinfatuatedwiththesethings,there’sinconstancy,instability,separation,leadingtosorrowanddespair,alwayssearchingformore.Whatdoesthisallcomefrom?Wehavetolookforboththecauseandtheeffect,toseehowthey’reconnected,ifwewanttoknow.That’swhenwe’llbediscerning,whenwegainknowledgeandvision,seeingthelongcourse.

TheBuddhataughttheDhammasoastobroadenourmindfulnessanddiscernment,sothatitcanencompassmorethanjustwhat’srightinourface.Forinstance,hehasuscontemplatethatwe’resubjecttoaging,subjecttoillness,subjecttodeath.Eventhoughwe’renotyetold,hehasuscontemplateagingsoastoprepareourselvesforthefactthatthisisthewaythingswillhavetogo.We’renotyetill,we’renotyetdead,butwehavetocontemplatethesethingseveryday.Thisiswhatitmeanstobeheedful,prepared.

Onceweseethistruth,wewon’twanttogiverisetoanythingunskillfulinthemind.Wewon’tbegreedy,angry,ordeluded,forwhatdowegainfrombeinggreedy?Nothingbutstress.Whatdowegainfrombeingangry?Nothingbutstress.Whatdowegainfrombeingdeluded?Nothingbutstress.Whenweseethis,we’llbeabletolivewithoutgreed,anger,ordelusion,caringforthebodyjustenoughtokeepitgoing,justenoughtodevelopthediscernmentthatwillenable

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ustoseethetruth.Thiswillputanendtotheburdenoffallingforthecycleofdeathandrebirthwithoutend.Oncewecastoffthisburden,wewon’thavetoconcernourselveswiththesethingsanylonger.

Wehearthatnibbānaishappiness,sowewanttogothere.Wehearthatmeditatingbringshappiness,sowewanttomeditate—butwedoitwithoutanyskillfulstrategies.Weneedskillfulstrategiesinourlistening,skillfulstrategiesinfocusingourawareness,skillfulstrategiesinourpractice.Everythingrequiresstrategies,intelligence,mindfulnessanddiscernmentwithinthemind.

Theintelligenceofthemindissomethingreallypowerful,youknow.It’snothingtosneezeat.Butforthemostpart,wedon’tapplythatpowerinside.Weapplyitoutside,tomaterialthings.Whateverweputourmindsto,wecanaccomplish.Wecanbuildallkindsofthings,butwedevoteourpowerjusttothingsoutside,tosolvingexternalproblems.Asaresult,westaydeludedaboutourselves.Wedon’treallylookatourselves.TheBuddhawasthefirsttoreallyturnaroundandlookathimself.Hedidn’tbuildexternalpower.Hedidn’tclaimtobespecial.Hesimplyturnedaroundtolookatthemind,askinghimself,“Ifthemindisreallyspecial,whydoesithavetodependonotherthings?Whydoesithavetokeepbuildingupotherthings?Thosethingsareinconstant,sowhentheychange,what’sleft?It’sallawasteofenergy.”

Allyouhavetodoisturnaroundandstraightenoutthemindsothatitdoesn’tfallforitsfabricating.Youdon’thavetogobuildinganything,fabricatinganything.Whenyouseethroughtheprocessoffabricating,youputanendtoit.That’scalledtheunfabricated.Nibbānaistheunfabricated.Noconditionscanfabricateitordressitupatall.Itcomesfromturningaroundtoknowtheheart,withoutfabricatingorseizingholdofanythingoutside.

Thisisthetruth.Ifwedon’treachthisstateoftruth,we’lljustkeeponcirclingaround.Youhavetoknowwhatdisbandsandceasesinnibbāna.Youhavetoknowwhatyou’restilldeludedaboutthatkeepsgettingintheway.Sobeintentonyourmeditation.

Peaceofmindisastrategythatweusetotestthetruthwithinourselves.Weseethatwhenthemindletsgooftheaggregates,it’shappy.Ifyoudon’tyetbelievethis,youcangiveitatry.Whenyousitinconcentration,trylettinggo.Tellyourselfthatyou’renotgoingtocarrytheseaggregatesaround;you’renotgoingtogetriledupaboutthem.Whateverpainstheremaybe,youdon’thavetopaythemanymind.Payattentiontobuddho,orwhateveryourmeditationtopicmaybe,untilthere’snothingleftbutthepropertyofknowing.Andthenkeepwatching,watching,watching,lettinggoofanythingelsethatcomesalonguntilthemindsettlesdownandispeaceful.Asenseofeaseandpleasurewillappearasyourevidence:You’vebeenabletoletgooftheaggregatesofform,feeling,perception,andfabrication.Aslongasyou’renotinvolvedwiththem,themindispeaceful

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andatease.Butassoonasyougetinvolvedwiththem,themindisimmediatelyinaturmoil.Thisisyourstrategyforseeingstress,forknowingstress.Whenthemindisn’tpeaceful,that’sstress.Assoonasweseethis,we’llgrowdisenchanted.Whatevercomestodisturbthemind,there’sstressintheprocessoffabrication,whichisconditionedbyignorance.

Soweshouldfocusonstudyingthemind,developingthemind.Onceyou’vebroughtthemindtopeace,youshouldusethatpeaceasastrategytocontemplatestresssoastodisbandit.Seetheconnectionbetweenstressandlackofpeaceinthemind,alongwiththeirrelationshiptoform,totheaggregates,totheoriginationofstress.Seehowtheoriginationofstressisrelatedtotheeyeseeingforms,theearhearingsounds,thenosesmellingaromas,thetonguetastingflavors.Whencravingarises,thisiswhereit’sgoingtoarise,righthereatthesethings,buttheonlywaytoseethisisthroughmeditation.Ifyoudon’tmeditate,youwon’tknow.Thewaytoknowisthroughthestrategyoffindingapeacefulplaceandmakingthemindpeaceful.That’showyou’llgainreleasefromsufferingandstress.

Nowthatyouunderstandthis,focusonmakingthemindpeacefulasastrategyforeliminatingthestressanddisturbance.Becircumspectinusingyourdiscernment.

Keeponmeditatinguntiltheendofthehour.

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GLOSSARY

Ajaan:Teacher;mentor.ThisisaThaitermderivedfromthePali,ācariya.Anusaya:Latenttendency;obsession.Therearesevenaltogether:sensual

passion,resistance,views,uncertainty,conceit,passionforbecoming,andignorance.

Anussati:Recollectionasameditationexercise.TheTenRecollectionsare:recollectionoftheBuddha,recollectionoftheDhamma,recollectionoftheSaṅgha,recollectionofvirtue,recollectionofgenerosity,recollectionofthequalitiesthatmakeoneadeva,mindfulnessofdeath,mindfulnessofthein-and-outbreath,mindfulnessimmersedinthebody,andrecollectionofthepeaceofnibbāna.

Arahant:Apersonwhoseheartisfreeofpassion,aversion,anddelusion,andwhoisthusnotdestinedforfurtherrebirth.AnepithetfortheBuddhaandhishighestlevelofnobledisciples.

Brahmā:Adevaofthenon-sensualheavensofform(rūpa)orformlessness(arūpa).

Buddho:Awake.AnepithetoftheBuddha.Deva:A“shiningone.”Aninhabitantofterrestrialorcelestiallevelsofsensual

pleasure.Dhamma(dharma):(1)TheteachingoftheBuddha.(2)Phenomenon,event.

(3)Mentalquality,mentalevent.(4)ThedimensionatwhichtheBuddha’steachingsareaimed:nibbāna.

Jhāna(dhyāna):Meditativeabsorptioninasinglementalobjectorsensation.Iftheobjectisphysical,suchasthebreath,theabsorptionistermedrūpajhāna.Ifnot(aswhenabsorbedinasenseofboundlessspaceorconsciousness),theabsorptionistermedarūpajhāna.

Kamma(karma):Intentionalactionthatleadstofurtherstatesofbecoming.Khandha(skandha):Aggregate;heap;group.Physicalandmental

componentsofthepersonalityandofsensoryexperienceingeneral:rūpa(form,physicalphenomenon);vedanā(feeling);saññā(perception,mentallabel);saṅkhāra(thought-fabrication);andviññāṇa(consciousness).

Māra:Demon;death;temptationpersonified.Anything,withinorwithout,thatactsasanobstacletothepractice.

Nibbāna(nirvāṇa):Liberation;theunbindingofthemindfrommentaldefilementandtheroundofrebirth.Asthistermisusedtodenotealsothe

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extinguishingoffire,itcarriestheconnotationsofstilling,cooling,andpeace.(AccordingtothephysicstaughtatthetimeoftheBuddha,aburningfireseizesoradherestoitsfuel;whenextinguished,itisunbound.)

Puñña:Merit;worth;theinnersenseofwellbeingthatcomesfromactingrightlyorwell.

Saṁsāra:Theprocessofwanderingonthroughstatesofbecomingandbirth,bothonthemicrolevel—inthethought-worldsofthemind—andonthemacrolevel,fromonelifetimetoanother.

Saṅkhāra:Fabrication.Thiscandenoteanythingfabricatedorfashionedbyconditions—inwhichcaseitcoversallfivekhandhas—ormorenarrowly,thefourthkhandha:thought-fabricationwithinthemind.

Sutta:Discourse.

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TableofContents

Titlepage 2Copyright 3Introduction 4FistfulofSand 7TheSkillfulHeart 8Questions&Answers 16Questions&Answers 23Inconstancy 28“ThisBodyofMine” 34Karma 37FistfulofSand 45

TheLightofDiscernment 47BlatantlyClearintheHeart 48StraighteningOutYourViews 53RightAttitude 57Disenchantment 63AHomefortheMind 68RightConcentration 72ToComprehendSuffering 77TheStrategyofaPeacefulMind 82

Glossary 87

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