Still,

FlowingWater

E I G H T D H A M M A T A L K S

Venerable

AjahnChah

T R A N S L A T E D F R O M T H E T H A I B Y

Ṭ H Ā N I S S A R O B H I K K H U

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V EN E RA B L E A J AHN CHAH

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AGiftofDhamma

ApublictalkgivenonOctober10,1977,addressedtotheparentsofamonkwhohadcomefromFrancetovisittheirson.

SONOW…There’sbeennotenoughtime….toolittletime….You’vebeenvisitingformanydaysnow,andwehaven’thadthechancetotalk,toaskquestions,becausehereatWatNongPaPongthere’vebeenmanyvisitors,bothdayandnight.Sowehaven’thadtheopportunitytotalk.[Aside:Whoseparentsarethese?][Answer:Ṭhitiñāṇo’s.]Ṭhitiñāṇo’sparentshavecometovisitfromParisforseveraldaysnow,stayingthreenightsatWatPaPongandthreenightsatWatPaNanachat.Intwodaysyou’regoingtoleave.

SoI’dliketotaketheopportunitytotellyouhowgladIamthatyoumadetheefforttocomeheretoWatNongPaPongandthatyou’vehadthechancetovisitwithyourson,themonk.I’mgladforyou,butIdon’thaveanygifttogivetoyou.TherearealreadylotsofmaterialthingsandwhatnotinParis.Lotsofmaterialthings.Butthere’snotmuchDhammatonourishpeople’sheartsandbringthempeace.There’snotmuchatall.FromwhatIobservedwhenIwasthere,allIcouldseewerethingstostiruptheheartandgiveittroubleallthetime.FromwhatIobserved,Parisseemstobeveryadvancedintermsofallkindsofmaterialthingsthataresensualobjects—sights,sounds,smells,tastes,tactilesensations,andideasthatactastemptationsforpeoplewhoaren’tfamiliarwiththeDhamma,gettingthemallstirredup.SonowI’dliketogiveagiftofDhammathatyoucanputintopracticeinParisafteryouleaveWatNongPaPongandWatPaNanachat.

TheDhammais….[Areyougoingtotranslateaswegoalong?][Yes.][Okay,butit’snotreallyconvenient.]

TheDhammaisaconditionthatcancutthroughandreducetheproblemsanddifficultiesinthehumanheart—reducingthem,reducingthemuntilthey’regone.ThisconditioniscalledDhamma.SoyoushouldtrainyourselfinthisDhammainyourdailylife.Whenanypreoccupationstrikesanddisturbsthemind,youcanthensolvetheproblem,youcanresolveit.That’sbecauseproblemsofthissort,everyone—whetherhereinThailand,abroad,everywhere:Ifyoudon’tknowhowtosolvethisproblem,it’snormalthatyousuffer.

Whenthissortofproblemarises,thewaytosolveitisdiscernment:building

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discernment,trainingdiscernment,makingdiscernmentarisefromwithinourheart.Asforthepathofpractice,it’snothingfaraway.It’srightwithinyou:inyour

bodyandmind.It’sthesamewhetheryou’reThaiorfromabroad.Thebodyandmindarewhatstiruptrouble.Butthebodyandmindcanbringpeace.

Actually,themindisalreadyatnormalcy.It’slikerainwater,waterthat’snormallyclear,pure,andclean.Butifyouputgreenoryellowdyeintoit,itturnsgreenoryellow.

It’sthesamewiththemind.Ifyoumeetupwithapreoccupationyoulike,theheartfeelsgoodandatease.Ifitmeetsupwithapreoccupationyoudon’tlike,itfeelsdis-ease.Itgetsmurky—likewaterthatturnsyellowwhenmixedwithyellowdye,blackwhenmixedwithblackdye,greenwhenmixedwithgreendye.Itkeepschangingitscolor.Butactually,thewaterthat’syelloworgreen:Itsnormalcyisthatit’sclearandclean.Thenormalcyofthemindislikerainwater.It’samindthat’sclearandclean.It’samindwhosenormalcyisn’tstirredupandtroubled.Thereasonit’sstirredupandtroubledisbecauseittakesafteritspreoccupations.Itfallsforitspreoccupations.

Toputitsothatyou’llseethisclearly:Rightnowwe’resittinginaforestthat’squiet,likealeaf.Aleaf,ifthere’snobreezeblowing,isstill.Quiet.Ifabreezeblows,itfluttersinlinewiththebreeze.Thesamewiththemind.Ifitmakescontactwithapreoccupation,itfluttersinlinewiththepreoccupation.Themoreit’signorantoftheDhamma,themoreyoukeeplettingitrunlooseinlinewithitsmoods.Ifthemoodishappy,youletitrunloose.Ifthemoodisunhappy,youletitrunloose,anditkeepsstayingstirredup—tothepointwherepeoplehavenervousbreakdowns,becausetheydon’tknowwhat’sgoingon.Theyletthingsrunlooseinlinewiththeirmoods.Theydon’tknowhowtocarefortheirminds.

Whenthemindhasnoonetocareforit,it’slikeapersonwithnoparentstocareforit,adestituteperson.Adestitutepersonhasnorefuge.Apersonwholacksarefugesuffers.Thesamewiththemind.Ifitlackstraininginmakingitsviewsright,it’sputtoallsortsofdifficulties.

Sothepracticeofbringingthemindtopeaceiscalled,inBuddhism,doingkammaṭṭhāna.Kammaṭṭhāna.Ṭhānameansfoundation.Kammaistheworkwehavetodo.Onepartofthisisthebody;onepartisthemind.That’sallthereis:thesetwothings.Thebodyisarūpa-dhamma,aphysicalcondition.Ithasashapeyoucanseewithyoureyes.Themindisanāma-dhamma,amentalphenomenonthatdoesn’thaveashape.Youcan’tseeitwithyoureyes,butit’sthere.Inordinarylanguagewecallthesethingsbodyandmind.Thebodyyoucanseewithyourphysicaleyes.Themindyoucanseewithyourinnereye,theeyeofthemind.Therearejustthesetwothings,butthey’reallstirredup.

Sothepracticeoftrainingthemind,thegiftI’mgivingyoutoday,issimplydoing

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thiskammaṭṭhāna.I’mgivingittoyoutotrainthemind.Usethismindtocontemplatethisbody.Usethismindtocontemplatethisbody.

Whatisthemind?Themindisn’t“is”anything.Butthroughoursuppositionswesayit’sanawareness.It’salwaysawareofreceivingpreoccupations.What’sawareofreceivingpreoccupations,we’llcall“mind.”Whateverisaware,that’scalledthemind.It’sawareofpreoccupationsandmoods—sometimeshappy,sometimespainful,moodsofgladness,moodsofsadness.Whatevertakesontheburdenofbeingawareofthesethingsiscalledthemind.

Themindisrighthererightnow.WhileI’mtalkingtoyou,themindisawareofwhatI’msaying.Whenthesoundscomeintotheear,themindisawareofwhatI’msaying.Whatever’sthere,it’sawareofit.What’saware:That’scalledthemind.Themindhasnobody,noshape.It’ssimplywhat’sawareandnothingelse.That’scalledthemind.

Thismind,ifweteachittohaverightviews,won’thaveanyproblems.It’llbeatitsease.Themindwillbethemind,thepreoccupationswillbepreoccupations.Preoccupationswon’tbethemind;themindwon’tbeitspreoccupations.Wecontemplatethemindanditspreoccupationssothatwe’llseeclearlyinourawarenessthatthemindreceivesandisawareofpreoccupationsthatcomepassingin.Thesetwothingsmeetandgiverisetoanawarenessinthemind—good,bad,hot,cold,allkindsofthings.Ifwedon’thavethediscernmenttostraightenthingsout,theproblemsthatcomeaboutinthiswaywillputthemindinaturmoil.

Todokammaṭṭhānaistogivethemindafoundation.Thein-and-outbreathisourfoundation.Takethis—thebreathcomingin,thebreathgoingout—astheobjectofyourmeditation.Familiarizeyourselfwithit.Therearelotsofothermeditationobjects,buttheycancausedifficulties.It’sbettertostaywiththebreath.Thebreathhasbeenthecrownofallmeditationobjectsfromtimeimmemorial.

Yousitandmeditate—whenyouhavethechance,yousitandmeditate.Putyourrighthandontopofyourlefthand,yourrightlegontopofyourleftleg.Situpstraight.Thinktoyourself:“RightnowI’mgoingtoputasideallmyburdens.Iwon’tconcernmyselfwithanythingelse.”Letgo.Whateverresponsibilitiesyouhave,allyourmanyresponsibilities,letthemgoforthetimebeing.Teachyourmind:“RightnowI’mgoingtokeeptrackofthebreath.I’llbealerttoonethingonly:thebreath.”Thenbreathein,breatheout.Whenyoufocusonthebreath,don’tmakeitlong,don’tmakeitshort,don’tmakeitlight,don’tmakeitheavy.Letitbejustright.Justright.

Mindfulnessistheabilitytokeepthisinmind.Alertnessistheawarenessthatcomesfromthemind.Letitknowthatthebreathisgoingout.Letitknowthatthebreathiscomingin.Atease.Youdon’thavetothinkaboutthisorthatoranythingatall.Justbeawareinthepresentthat“Rightnowmyonlydutyistofocusonthebreath.Idon’thaveanydutytothinkaboutanythingelse.”Thenfocusjustonthe

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breathgoingout,thebreathcomingin.Focusyourmindfulnesstokeeptrackofthis.Makeyouralertnessbeawarethatrightnowyouhaveabreath.

Atfirst,whenthebreathcomesin,thebeginningofthebreathisatthetipofthenose,themiddleofthebreathisattheheart,theendofthebreathisatthenavel.Whenyoubreatheout,thebeginningofthebreathisatthenavel,themiddleofthebreathisattheheart,theendofthebreathisatthetipofthenose.Feelitinthisway.Thebeginningofthebreath,one—nose;two—heart;three—navel.Thenone—navel;two—heart;three—nose.Focusonthesethreestagesandletallyourconcernsfadeaway.Youdon’thavetothinkofanythingelse.Focusonthebreath.Focusonin.Alwaysknowthebeginningofthebreath,themiddleofthebreath,theendofthebreath.Thebeginningofthebreath,themiddleofthebreath,theendofthebreath.

Perhapsthemindmaythinkofsomething.It’llbringupthebreathasitspreoccupation.It’llevaluatethebreath,contemplateit,stayinginvolvedwithitspreoccupation,keepingthisupcontinually—knowingthebeginningofthebreath,knowingthemiddleofthebreath,knowingtheendofthebreath.

Whenyoukeepdoingthis,thencitta-mudutā:Theheartwillbemalleable.Kāya-mudutā:Thebodywillbemalleable.Itstirednessandstiffnesswillgraduallydisappear.Thebodywillbecomelight;themindwillgathertogether.Thebreathwillgrowmoregentleandrefined.

Mindfulnessandalertnesswillcoalescewiththemind.Keepdoingthisuntilthemindquietsdown,growsstill,andbecomesone.One.Themindrestswiththebreath.Itwon’tseparateoutanywhereelse.Atease.Nodisturbance.Itknowsthebeginningofthebreath,themiddleofthebreath,theendofthebreath.Whenyouknowthis,stayfocusedonitatalltimes.Whenthemindisquiet,youcanfocusjustontheendpointandbeginningpointofthebreath.Youdon’thavetofollowitdownintothebody.Inotherwords,stayjustatthetipofthenose.Thebreathgoesout,thebreathcomesin,goesout,comesin,butyoudon’thavetofollowitdown.

Whenyoudothis,it’scalledmakingthemindcomfortable,atpeace.Whenthemindisatpeace,letitstopandstayrightthere.Itstopsandstayswithonepreoccupation.Themindisone.Itstayswithasinglepreoccupation,thein-and-outbreath,atalltimes.Thisiscalledmakingthemindquietandmakingitgiverisetodiscernment.

Thisisthebeginning,thefoundationofdoingkammaṭṭhāna.Trytodothiseveryday,everyday,whereveryouare:athome,inyourcar,inyourboat,sitting,lyingdown.Havemindfulnessandalertnessinchargeatalltimes.

Thisiscalledmeditation(bhāvanā).Therearemanytypesofmeditationandtheycanbedoneinallfourpostures,notonlywhileyou’resitting.Youcandothemwhilestanding,sitting,walking,orlyingdown.Allthat’saskedisthatyourmindfulnessbealwaysfocusedonknowing:“Atthismoment,whatarethecharacteristicsofthemind?

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Whatmoodisitin?Happy?Pained?Stirredup?Atpeace?”Observeitinthisway.Inotherwords,knowwhat’srightandwronginyourmindatalltimes.Thisiscalledmakingthemindquiet.

Whenthemindisquiet,discernmentwillarise;discernmentwillknow;discernmentwillsee.Whenthemindisquiet,usethequietmindtocontemplate.Contemplatewhat?It’skammaṭṭhāna:yourbodyfromtheheaddowntothetoes,fromthetoesuptothehead.Usethequietmindtokeepcontemplatingbackandforth.Lookathairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,andskinasyourkammaṭṭhāna.Seethatallbodieshaveearth,water,fire,andwind.Thesefourgroupsarecalledkammaṭṭhāna.They’recalledproperties:theearthproperty,thewaterproperty,thefireproperty,thewindproperty.Whentheycometogether,wecallthema“humanbeing,”a“livingbeing.”ButtheBuddhasaidtoseethemjustasproperties.Thepartsofthebodythataresolidareearth,theearthproperty.Theliquidpartsthatcirculateinthebodyarecalledthewaterproperty.Thebreaththatflowsupanddowniscalledthewindproperty.Theheatandwarmthinthebodyiscalledthefireproperty.

Aperson,whenanalyzed,hasonlythesefourthings:earth,water,fire,wind.There’sno“being,”no“humanbeing.”There’snothing:noThai,noWesterner,noCambodian,noVietnamese,noLao.Nobody.There’sjustearth,water,fire,andwind.Butwesupposethesethingsintobeingaperson,alivingbeing.Butactuallyyou’llcometoseethatthere’snothingatalltothisearth,water,fire,andwindthatwecallahumanbeing.They’recomposedofinconstancy,stress,andnot-self.They’renotforsure.Theykeepcyclingaroundandchanging.Theydon’tsayinplace.Evenourbodyisn’tforsure.Itkeepsmovingaround,changing.Thehairoftheheadchanges,thehairofthebodychanges,theskinchanges.Everythingkeepschanging.

Eventheheartisthesameway.It’snotourself,it’snot“us,”it’snot“him”or“her.”Itcanthinkallkindsofthings.Sometimesitcanthinkofcommittingsuicide,sometimesitcanthinkpleasantthoughts,sometimesitcanthinkpainfulthoughts—allkindsofthings.It’snotforsure.Ifyoudon’thaveanydiscernment,youbelieveit—thisonemindthatcankeeplyingtoyou:sad,happy,allmixeduptogether.Thisiswhatwemeanwhenwesaythatthemindisn’tforsure.Thebodyisn’tforsure.Inshort,they’rebothinconstant,bothstressful,bothnot-self.TheBuddhasaidthatthesethingsaren’tabeing,aren’taperson,aren’tourself,aren’tusoranyoneelse.They’reproperties,that’sall:earth,water,fire,andwind.

Thisiscontemplation.Usethemindtocontemplateuntilitseesclearlyallthewaydown.

Whenitseesclearlyallthewaydown,theclingingthatteachesusthatwe’rebeautiful,good,bad,unhappy,right,whatever,getsuprooted.Removed.Youseeeverythingasoneandthesamething:humanbeings,animals.Westernersareoneand

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samewithThais;Thais,oneandthesamewithWesterners.Everything.It’sallproperties:earth,water,fire,wind.Whenthemindseesinthisway,ituprootseveryclingingoutofitself.Whenyoucontemplateandseeinconstancy,stress,andnot-self—thatthere’sno“us,”no“being”—yougiverisetoasenseofchasteneddismay.Youuprootyourclingings,uprootyourclingings.Youdon’thavetoclingtoanythingatallas“you”oryourselforanyoneelse.

Whenthemindseesinthisway,itgivesrisetodisenchantment.Dispassion.Inotherwords,whenitseeseverythingasinconstant,stressful,andnot-self,itstops.ItbecomesDhamma.Passion,aversion,anddelusionkeepwastingaway,wastingawayuntilnothingisleftbutDhamma:thismind.That’sallthereis.

Thisiswhat’smeantbydoingkammaṭṭhāna.SoIgivethistoyoutotakeandcontemplate.Studyiteverydayinyoureveryday

life.Eventhoughyou’vereceivedtheseteachingsfromWatNongPaPongorWatPaNanachat,they’reanheirloomthat’sbeenpasseddown.Iadviseyou—asdoallthemonks,theajaans,andyoursonthemonk—totakethisgiftofDhammaandcontemplateit.Yourheartwillbeatease.Itwon’tbetroubledanymore.It’llbeatpeace.Ifthebodyisdisturbed,don’tworryaboutit.Makesurethemindisn’tdisturbed.Ifpeopleintheworldaredisturbed,we’renotdisturbedalongwiththem.Eventhoughtheremaybealotofdisturbanceinyourforeignland,youdon’thavetobedisturbed—becauseyourmindhasseen.It’sDhamma.

Thisisagoodpath,acorrectpath.Sorememberitandcontemplateit.

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OurRealHome

ThisisatalkthatAjahnChahrecordedattherequestofoneofhisstudentswhosemotherwasonherdeathbed.Thestudenthadexpectedjustashortmessageforhismother,butinsteadAjahnChahgavethisextendedtalkofconsolationandencouragementforthemotherandthewholefamily.

Namotassabhagavatoarahatosammā-sambuddhassa.HomagetotheBlessedOne,theWorthyOne,theRightlySelf-awakenedOne.

Sīlenasugatiṁyanti:Throughvirtuetheygotoagooddestination.Sīlenabhogasampadā:Throughvirtuethere’sconsummationofwealth.Sīlenanibbutiṁyanti:Throughvirtuetheygotonibbāna.Tasmāsīlaṁvisodhaye:Sovirtueshouldbepurified.

NOW,GRANDMA,setyourheartonlisteningrespectfullytotheDhamma,whichistheteachingoftheBuddha.WhileI’mteachingyoutheDhamma,beasattentiveasiftheBuddhahimselfweresittingrightinfrontofyou.Closeyoureyesandsetyourheartonmakingyourmindone.BringtheBuddha,Dhamma,andSaṅghaintoyourheartasawayofshowingtheBuddharespect.

TodayIhaven’tbroughtyouagiftofanysubstance,asidefromtheDhammaoftheBuddha.Thisismylastgifttoyou,sopleaseacceptit.

YoushouldunderstandthateventheBuddha—withallhisvirtuesandperfections—couldn’tavoidtheweakeningthatcomeswithaging.Whenhereachedtheageyouare,heletgo.Heletgoofthefabricationsoflife.

“Lettinggo”meansthatheputthesethingsdown.Don’tcarrythemaround.Don’tweighyourselfdown.Acceptthetruthaboutthefabricationsofthebody,whatevertheymaybe:You’vereliedonthemsinceyouwereborn,butnowit’senough.Nowthatthey’reold,they’reliketheutensilsinyourhome—thecups,thesaucers,andtheplates—thatyou’veheldontoalltheseyears.Whenyoufirstgotthemtheywerebrightandclean,butnowthey’rewearingout.Someofthemarebroken,someofthemarelost,whiletheonesremaininghaveallchanged.Theyhaven’tstayed

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thesame.That’sjustthewaythingsare.Thesameholdstruewiththepartsofyourbody.Fromthetimeofbirthandon

throughyourchildhoodandyouth,theykeptchanging.Nowthey’recalled“old.”Soacceptthefact.TheBuddhataughtthatfabricationsaren’tus,theyaren’tours,whetherthey’reinsidethebodyorout.Theykeepchanginginthisway.Contemplatethisuntilit’sclear.

Thisbodyofyours,lyinghereanddecaying,isthetruthoftheDhamma.ThistruthisateachingoftheBuddhathat’scertainandsure.Hetaughtustolookatit,tocontemplateit,toacceptwhat’shappening.Andit’ssomethingyoushouldaccept,regardlessofwhat’shappening.

TheBuddhataught,whenwe’reimprisoned,tomakesurethatit’sonlythebodythat’simprisoned.Don’tletthemindbeimprisoned.Andthesamethingapplieshere.Whenthebodywearsoutwithage,acceptit.Butmakesurethatit’sonlythebodythat’swearingout.Makesurethattheaffairsofthemindaresomethingelseentirely.Thisgivesyourmindenergyandstrength,becauseyouseeintotheDhammathatthisisthewaythingsare.Thisisthewaytheyhavetobe.

AstheBuddhataught,thisisthewaythebodyandmindareoftheirownaccord.Theycan’tbeanyotherway.Assoonasthebodyisborn,itbeginstoage.Asitages,itgetssick.Afterit’ssick,itdies.Thistruthissotrue,thistruthyou’reencounteringtoday.It’sthetruthoftheDhamma.Lookatitwithyourdiscernmentsothatyousee.

Eveniffireweretoburnyourhouse,orwaterweretofloodit,orwhateverthedangerthatwouldcometoit,makesurethatit’sonlythehousethatgetsburned.Makesureyourheartdoesn’tgetburnedalongwithit.Ifwaterfloodsyourhouse,don’tletitfloodyourheart.Makesureitfloodsonlythehouse,whichissomethingoutsidethebody.Asforthemind,getittoletgoandleavethingsbe—becausenowisthepropertime,thepropertimetoletgo.

You’vebeenaliveforalongtimenow,haven’tyou?Youreyeshavehadthechancetoseeallkindsofshapes,colors,andlights.Thesamewithyourothersenses.Yourearshaveheardlotsofsounds,allkindsofsounds—buttheywerenobigdeal.You’vetastedreallydeliciousfoods—buttheywerenobigdeal.Thebeautifulthingsyou’veseen:Theywerenobigdeal.Theuglythingsyou’veseen:Theywerenobigdeal.Thealluringthingsyou’veheardwerenobigdeal.Theuglyandoffensivethingsyou’veheardwerenobigdeal.

TheBuddhathustaughtthatwhetheryou’rerichorpoor,achildoranadult—evenifyou’reananimaloranyoneborninthisworld:There’snothinginthisworldthat’slasting.Everythinghastochangeinlinewithitscondition.Thetruthoftheseconditions—ifyoutrytofixtheminawaythat’snotright—won’trespondatall.Butthereisawaytofixthings.TheBuddhataughtustocontemplatethisbodyandmindtoseethattheyaren’tus,theyaren’tours,they’rejustsuppositions.

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Forexample,thishouseofyours:It’sonlyasuppositionthatit’syours.Youcan’ttakeitwithyou.Allthebelongingsthatyousupposetobeyoursarejustanaffairofsupposition.Theystayrightwheretheyare.Youcan’ttakethemwithyou.Thechildrenandgrandchildrenthatyousupposetobeyoursarejustanaffairofsupposition.Theystayrightwheretheyare.

Andthisisn’tjusttrueforyou.Thisisthewaythingsareallovertheworld.EventheBuddhawasthisway.Evenhisenlighteneddiscipleswerethisway.Buttheydifferedfromus.Inwhatwaydidtheydiffer?Theyacceptedthis.Theyacceptedthefactthatthefabricationsofthebodyarethiswaybytheirverynature.Theycan’tbeanyotherway.

ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustocontemplatethisbodyfromthesolesofthefeetonuptothetopofthehead,andfromthetopoftheheadondowntothesolesofthefeet.Thesearethepartsofyourbody.Solooktoseewhatallisthere.Isthereanythingclean?Anythingofanysubstance?Thesethingskeepwearingdownwithtime.TheBuddhataughtustoseethatthesefabricationsaren’tus.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Theyaren’tours.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Whatotherwaywouldyouhavethembe?Thewaytheyareisalreadyright.Ifyou’resufferingfromthis,thenyourthinkingiswrong.Whenthingsarerightbutyouseethemwrong,itthrowsanobstacleacrossyourheart.

It’slikethewaterinariverthatflowsdownhilltothelowlands.Itflowsinlinewithitsnature.TheAyutthayaRiver,theMuunRiver,whatevertheriver,theyallflowdownhill.Theydon’tflowuphill.That’stheirnature.

Supposeamanweretostandonthebankofariver,watchingthecurrentflowingdownhill,buthisthinkingiswrong.Hewantstherivertoflowuphill.He’sgoingtosuffer.Hewon’thaveanypeaceofmind.Whetherhe’ssitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown,hewon’tfindanypeace.Why?Becausehisthinkingiswrong.Histhinkinggoesagainsttheflow.Hewantsthewatertoflowuphill,butthetruthofthematteristhatthewatercan’tflowuphill.It’snotappropriate.Thenatureofthewateristhatithastoflowalongwiththeflow.That’sitsnature.

Whenthisisthecase,themanisupset.Whyisheupset?Becausehisthinkingiswrong,hisideasarewrong,allbecauseofhiswrongview.Rightviewseesthatwaterhastoflowdownhill.ThisisatruthoftheDhammathatwecancontemplateandseethatit’strue.Whenthatmanseesthistruth,hecanletgo—hecanletthewaterflowalongwithitsflow.Theproblemthatwaseatingawayathisheartdisappears.Whentheproblemdisappears,there’snomoreproblem.Whenthere’snoproblem,there’snosuffering.

It’sthesamehere.Thewaterflowingdownhillislikethelifeofyourbody.Afterit’syoung,it’sold.Whenit’sold,itflowsalonginitsway.Don’tthinkthatyoudon’twantittobethatway.Don’tthinklikethat.Wedon’thavethepowertofixit.

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TheBuddhalookedatthingsinlinewiththeirconditions,thattheysimplyhavetobethatway.Soweletthemgo,weleavethembe.Takeyourawarenessasyourrefuge.Meditateonthewordbuddho,buddho.Eventhoughyou’rereallytired,putyourmindwiththebreath.Takeagoodlongout-breath.Takeagoodlongin-breath.Takeanothergoodlongout-breath.Focusyourmindagainifyouwanderoff.Focusonthebreath:buddho,buddho.

Themoretiredyoufeel,themorerefinedyouhavetokeepfocusingonineverytime.Why?Sothatyoucancontendwithpain.Whenyoufeeltired,stopallyourthoughts.Don’tthinkofanythingatall.Focusthemindinatthemind,andthenkeepthemindwiththebreath:buddho,buddho.Letgoofeverythingoutside.Don’tgetfastenedonyourchildren.Don’tgetfastenedonyourgrandchildren.Don’tgetfastenedonanythingatall.Letgo.Letthemindbeone.Gatherthemindintoone.Watchthebreath.Focusonthebreath.Gatherthemindatthebreath.Justbeawareatthebreath.Youdon’thavetobeawareofanythingelse.Keepmakingyourawarenessmoreandmorerefineduntilitfeelsverysmall,butextremelyawake.

Thepainsthathavearisenwillgraduallygrowcalm.Ultimately,wewatchthebreathinthesamewaythat,whenrelativeshavecometovisitus,weseethemofftotheboatdockorthebusstation.Oncethemotorstarts,theboatgoeswhizzingrightoff.Wewatchthemuntilthey’regone,andthenwereturntoourhome.

Wewatchthebreathinthesameway.Wegetacquaintedwithcoarsebreathing.Wegetacquaintedwithrefinedbreathing.Asthebreathinggetsmoreandmorerefined,wewatchitoff.Itgetssmallerandsmaller,butwemakeourmindmoreandmoreawake.Wekeepwatchingthebreathgetmoreandmorerefineduntilthere’snomorebreath.There’sjustawareness,wideawake.

ThisiscalledmeetingwiththeBuddha.Westayaware,awake.Thisiswhatbuddhomeans:what’saware,awake,serene.Whenthat’sthecase,we’relivingwiththeBuddha.We’vemetwithawareness.We’vemetwithbrightness.Wedon’tsendthemindanywhereelse.Itgathersinhere.We’vereachedourBuddha.Eventhoughhe’salreadypassedaway,thatwasjustthebody.TherealBuddhaisawarenessthat’ssereneandbright.Whenyoumeetwiththis,that’sallyouhavetoknow.Leteverythinggatherrighthere.

Letgoofeverything,leavingjustthissingularawareness.Butdon’tgetdeluded,okay?Don’tlosetrack.Ifavisionoravoicearisesinthemind,letitgo.Leaveitbe.Youdon’tneedtotakeholdofanythingatall.Justtakeholdoftheawareness.Don’tworryaboutthefuture;don’tworryaboutthepast.Stayrighthere.Ultimatelyyougetsothatyoucan’tsaythatyou’regoingforward,youcan’tsaythatyou’regoingback,youcan’tsaythatyou’restayinginplace.There’snothingtobeattachedto.Why?Becausethere’snoselfthere,noyou,noyours.It’sallgone.

ThisistheBuddha’steaching:Hetellsustobe“allgone”inthisway.Hedoesn’t

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haveusgrabholdofanything.Hehasusbeawarelikethis—awareandlettinggo.Thisisyourdutyrightnow,yoursalone.TrytoenterintotheDhammainthis

way.Thisisthepathforgainingreleasefromtheroundofwandering-on.Trytoletgo,tounderstand,tosetyourheartoninvestigatingthis.

Don’tbeworriedaboutthispersonorthat.Yourchildren,yourgrandchildren,yourrelatives,everybody:Don’tbeworriedaboutthem.Rightnowthey’refine.Inthefuturethey’llbejustlikethis:likeyouarerightnow.Nobodystaysoninthisworld.That’sthewayithastobe.Thisisacondition,atruth,thattheBuddhataught.Allthethingsthatdon’thaveanytruthtothem,hehasusleavethembe.Whenyouleavethembe,youcanseethetruth.Ifyoudon’tleavethembe,youwon’tseethetruth.That’sthewaythingsare.Everybodyintheworldhastobethisway.Sodon’tbeworried.Don’tfastenontothings.

Ifthemindisgoingtothink,letitthink,butthinkusingdiscernment.Thinkwithdiscernment.Don’tthinkwithfoolishness.Ifyouthinkaboutyourgrandchildren,thinkaboutthemwithdiscernment,notwithfoolishness.Whateverthereis,youcanthinkaboutit,youcanbeawareofit,butthinkwithdiscernment,beawarewithdiscernment.Ifyou’rereallyawarewithdiscernment,youhavetoletgo.Youhavetoleavethingsbe.Ifyouthinkwithdiscernmentandareawarewithdiscernment,there’snosuffering,nostress.There’sjusthappiness,peace,andrespite,allinone.Themindgatherslikethis.Allyouneedtoholdontointhepresentisthebreath.

Thisisyourdutynow.It’snotthedutyofanyoneelse.Leavetheirdutiestothem.Yourdutyisyourduty.Andyourdutyrightnowistokeepyourawarenessatyourmind,makingsureitdoesn’tgetstirredup.Yourdutyistoknowhowyourmindisdoing.Isitworriedaboutanything?Isitconcernedaboutanything?Examinethemindwhileyou’relyingheresick.Don’ttakeonthedutiesofyourchildren.Don’ttakeonthedutiesofyourgrandchildren.Don’ttakeonthedutiesofanyoneelse.Don’ttakeonanyoutsidedutiesatall.They’renoneofyourbusiness.Now’sthetimeforyoutoletgo,toleavethingsbe.Whenyouletgointhisway,themindwillbeatpeace.Thisisyourdutynow,righthereinthepresent.

Whenyou’resicklikethis,gatherthemindintooneness.Thisisyourduty.Leteverythingelsegoitsownway.Sights,sounds,smells,tastes,whatever:Letthemgotheirownway.Juststayfocusedonyourduty.

Ifanypreoccupationcomesintobotherthemind,justsayinyourheart:“Leavemealone.Don’tbotherme.You’renoaffairofmine.”Ifanycriticalthoughtscomeup—fearforyourlife,fearthatyou’lldie,thinkingofthisperson,thinkingofthatperson—justsayinyourheart,“Don’tbotherme.You’renoaffairofmine.”

ThisisbecauseyouseealltheDhammasthatarise.WhatareDhammas?EverythingisaDhamma.There’snothingnowthatisn’taDhamma.

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What’stheworld?Theworldisanypreoccupationthatgetsyoustirredup,thatdisturbsyourightnow.“Howisthatpersongoingtobe?Howisthispersongoingtobe?WhenIdiewillanyonelookafterthem?”Allofthisistheworld.Whateverwethinkup—fearofdeath,fearofaging,fearofillness,whateverthefear—it’sallworld.Droptheworld—it’sjustworld.That’sthewaytheworldis.Ifitarisesinthemind,makeyourselfunderstand:Theworldisnothingbutapreoccupation.Preoccupationsobscurethemindsothatitcan’tseeitself.

Whateverarisesinthemind,tellyourself:“Thisisn’tanyaffairofmine.It’sanaffairofinconstancy,anaffairofstress,anaffairofnot-self.”

Ifyouthinkthatyou’dliketokeeponlivingalongtime,itmakesyousuffer.Ifyouthinkthatyou’dliketodierightnowandgetitalloverwith,that’snottherightwayeither,youknow.Itmakesyousuffer,too,becausefabricationsaren’tyours.Youcan’tfixthemup.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Youcanfixthemupalittlebit,aswhenyoufixupthebodytomakeitlookprettyorclean.Orlikechildren:Theypainttheirlipsandlettheirnailsgrowlongtomakethemlookpretty.Butthat’sallthereistoit.Whentheygetold,theyallendupinthesamebucket.Theyfixuptheoutside,butcan’treallyfixthings.That’sthewayitiswithfabrications.Theonlythingyoucanfixisyourheartandmind.

Thishouseyou’relivingin:Youandyourhusbandbuiltit.Otherpeoplecanbuildhouses,too,makingthemlargeandlovely.Thoseareouterhomes,whichanyonecanbuild.TheBuddhacalledthemouterhomes,notyourrealhome.They’rehomesonlyinname.

Homesintheworldhavetofallinlinewiththewayoftheworld.Someofusforget.Wegetabighomeandenjoylivinginit,butweforgetourrealhome.Whereisourrealhome?It’sinthesenseofpeace.Ourrealhomeispeace.

Thishomeyouliveinhere—andthisappliestoeveryhome—islovely,butit’snotverypeaceful.Firstthis,thenthat;you’reworriedaboutthis,you’reworriedaboutthat:Thisisn’tyourrealhome.It’snotyourinnerhome.It’sanouterhome.Somedaysoonyou’llhavetoleaveit.Youwon’tbeabletolivehereanymore.It’saworldlyhome,notyours.

Thisbodyofyours,thatyoustillseeasyouandyours,isahomethatstayswithyouawhile.Youthinkthatit’syouandyours,butit’snot.It,too,isaworldlyhome.It’snotyourrealhome.Peopleprefertobuildouterhomes;theydon’tliketobuildinnerhomes.Yourarelyseeanyhomeswherepeoplecanreallystayandbeatpeace.Peopledon’tbuildthem.Theybuildonlyouterhomes.

Thinkaboutitforaminute.Howisyourbodyrightnow?Thinkaboutitfromthedayyouwerebornallthewayuptothepresentmoment.Wekeeprunningawayfromprogress.Wekeeprunninguntilwe’reold,runninguntilwe’resick.Wedon’twantthingstobethatway,butwecan’tpreventit.That’sjustthewaythingsare.

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Theycan’tbeanyotherway.It’slikewantingaducktobelikeachicken,butitcan’tbecauseit’saduck.Ifyouwantachickentobelikeaduck,itcan’t,becauseit’sachicken.Ifyouwantduckstobelikechickens,andchickenstobelikeducks,yousimplysuffer—becausethesethingsareimpossible.Ifyouthink,“Duckshavetobethewaytheyare,andchickensthewaytheyare;theycan’tbeanyotherway,”thenthatkindofthinkinggivesyouenergyandstrength.

Nomatterhowmuchyouwantthisbodytostaystableandpermanent,itcan’tbethatway.It’sjustthewayitis.TheBuddhacalleditafabrication.

Aniccāvatasaṅkhārā:Howinconstantarefabrications!Uppāda-vaya-dhammino:Theirnatureistoariseandpassaway.Uppajjitvānirujjhanti:Arising,theydisband.Tesaṁvūpasamosukho:Theirstillingisbliss.

Thisfabrication—thisbody-and-mind—isinconstant.It’snotdependable.It’shereandthenit’snot.It’sbornandthenitpassesaway.Butwehumanbeingswantittobeconstant.That’sthethinkingofafool.

Justlookatyourbreath.Itgoesoutandthenitcomesin.Itcomesinandthenitgoesout.That’sthenatureofbreath.Ithastobethatway.Ithastochange,togobackandforth.Theaffairsoffabricationdependonchange.Youcan’thavethemnotchange.Justlookatyourbreath.Canyoukeepitfromcomingin?Doesitfeelcomfortable?Ifyoudrawinabreathandthendon’tletitgoout,isthatanygood?Evenifyouwantittobeconstant,itcan’tbeconstant.It’simpossible.Itgoesoutandthenitcomesin.Itcomesinandthenitgoesout.It’ssuchanormalthing.

We’rebornandthenweage;weageandthenwegetsickanddie.It’ssonormal.Butwedon’tlikeit.It’sasifwewantedthebreathtocomeinandnotgoout;ortogooutandnotcomein.Whenitcomesinandout,outandin,wecanlive.Humanbeingsandanimalshavebeenlivingrightuptothepresentbecausefabricationsfollowtheirdutyinlinewiththeirconditions.That’stheirtruth.

Sowehavetoseetheirtruthinlinewiththeirtruth.Aswiththeaffairofbirth,aging,illness,anddeath:Oncewe’reborn,we’realreadydead.Birthanddeathareallthesamething.Onepartisthebeginning,andoneparttheend.Justlikeatree:Whenithasabase,ithasanuppertip.Whenithasanuppertip,ithasabase.Whenthere’snobase,there’snouppertip.There’snouppertipwithoutabase.That’sthewaythingsare.

It’skindoffunny,youknow.Wehumanbeings,whensomebodydies,getallsadandupset.Wecryandgrieve—allkindsofthings.It’sdelusion.It’sdelusion,youknow,tocryandlamentwhensomebodydies.That’sthewaywe’vebeensincewho

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knowswhen.Wehardlyeverreflecttoseethingsclearly.Inmyopinion,andyou’llhavetoforgivemeforsayingthis,butifyou’regoingtocrywhensomebodydies,it’dbebettertocrywhensomebody’sborn.Butwehavethingsallbackwards.Ifsomebody’sbornwelaugh;we’rehappyandglad.Butreally,birthisdeath,anddeathisbirth.Thebeginningistheend,andtheendisthebeginning.Whensomeonediesorisabouttodie,wecry.That’sfoolishness.Ifyou’regoingtocry,it’dbebettertocryfromtheverybeginning.Forbirthisdeath.Withoutbirth,there’snodeath.Doyouunderstand?Deathisbirth,andbirthisdeath.

Don’tthinkinawaythatputsyouinaturmoil.Justletthingsbethewaytheyare.Thisisyourdutynow.Nooneelsecanhelpyou.Yourchildrencan’thelpyou;yourgrandchildrencan’thelpyou;yourwealthcan’thelpyou.Theonlythingthatcanhelpyouisifyoucorrectyoursenseofthingsrightnow.Don’tletitwaverbackandforth.Letgo.Letgo.

Evenifwedon’tletthingsgo,they’realreadyreadytogo.Thepartsofyourbodyaretryingtorunaway.Doyouseethis?Whenyouwereyoung,yourhairwasblack.Nowit’sgray.Thisishowit’salreadyrunningaway.Whenyouwereyoung,youreyeswerebrightandclear,butnowthey’reblurry.Doyouseethis?They’realreadyrunningaway.Theycan’tholdoutanylonger,sotheyhavetorunaway.Thisisnolongertheirplacetostay.Everypartofyourbodyhasstartedrunningaway.Whenyouwereyoung,wereyourteethsolidandsturdy?Nowthey’reloose.Youmayhaveputinfalseteeth,butthey’resomethingnew,nottheoriginalones.Theoriginaloneshaverunaway.Everypartofyourbody—ofeverybody’sbody—istryingtorunaway.

Youreyes,ears,nose,tongue,andbody:Allofthesethingsaretryingtorunaway.Why?Becausethisisn’ttheirplacetostay.They’refabrications,sotheycan’tstay.Theycanstayforonlyawhileandthentheyhavetogo.Andit’snotjustyou.Everypartofthebody—hairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin,everything—isgettingreadytorunaway.Somepartshavealreadygone,butnotyeteverything.Allthat’sleftareafewhousesitters.They’relookingafterthehouse,butthey’renogood.Theeyesarenogood;theteetharenogood;theearsarenogood.Thisbody’snogoodbecausethegoodthingshavealreadyrunaway.Theykeeprunningaway,oneafteranother.

Youhavetounderstandthatthisisnoplaceforhumanbeingstostay.It’sjustashelterwhereyoucanrestabit,andthenyouhavetomoveon.

Sodon’tletyourselfbeworriedaboutsomanythings.You’vecometoliveintheworld,soyoushouldcontemplatetheworldtoseethatthat’sthewayitis:Everything’sgettingreadytorunaway.Lookatyourbody.Isthereanythingtherethat’slikewhatitusedtobe?Istheskinlikeitusedtobe?Isyourhairlikeitusedtobe?Areyoureyesliketheyusedtobe?Areyourearsliketheyusedtobe?Areyourteethliketheyusedtobe?No,they’renot.They’verunofftowhoknowswhere.

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Thisiswhattheirnatureislike.Oncethey’veservedtheirtime,theyhavetogo.Whydotheyhavetogo?Becausethat’stheirduty.That’stheirtruth.Thisisn’taplacewhereanythingcanstaypermanently.Andwhilethey’restayinghere,they’reaturmoil:sometimespleasant,sometimespainful,withnorespiteorpeace.

It’slikeapersonwho’stravelingbackhomebuthasn’tyetarrived.He’sstillontheway,sometimesgoingforward,sometimesgoingback:apersonwithnoplacetostay.Aslongashehasn’treachedhome,he’snotathisease:noeasewhilehe’ssitting,noeasewhilehe’slyingdown,noeasewhilehe’swalking,noeasewhilehe’sridinginacar.Why?Becausehehasn’tyetreachedhome.Whenwereachourhome,we’reatoureasebecauseweunderstandthatthisisourhome.

It’sthesamehere.Theaffairsoftheworldareneverpeaceful.Evenifwe’rerich,they’renotpeaceful.Ifwe’repoor,they’renotpeaceful.Ifwe’readultsthey’renotpeaceful.Ifwe’rechildrenthey’renotpeaceful.Ifwelackeducation,they’renotpeaceful.Ifwe’reeducated,they’renotpeaceful.Alltheseaffairsarenotpeaceful:That’sjustthewaytheyare.That’swhypoorpeoplesuffer,richpeoplesuffer,childrensuffer,adultssuffer.Oldpeoplesufferthesufferingsofoldpeople.Thesufferingsofchildren,thesufferingsofrichpeople,thesufferingofpoorpeople:They’reallsuffering.

Everypartinyourbodyisrunningaway,onethingafteranother.Whenyoucontemplatethis,you’llseeaniccaṁ:They’reinconstant.Dukkhaṁ:They’restressful.Whyisthat?Anattā:They’renot-self.

Thisbodyyou’relivingin,thisbodysittingandlyingheresick,alongwiththemindthatknowspleasureandpain,thatknowsthatthebodyissick:BothofthesethingsarecalledDhamma.

Thementalthingswithnoshape,thatcanthinkandfeel,arecallednāma.They’renāma-dhamma.Thethingsthathavephysicalshape,thatcanhurt,thatcangrowandshrink,backandforth:That’scalledrūpa-dhamma.Mentalthingsaredhamma.Physicalthingsaredhamma.That’swhywesaywelivewiththeDhamma.There’snothingtherethat’sreallyus.It’sjustDhamma.Dhammaconditionsariseandthenpassaway.Theyariseandthenpassaway.That’showconditionsare.Theyariseandthenpassaway.Weariseandpassawaywitheverymoment.Thisishowconditionsare.

Thisiswhy,whenwethinkoftheBuddha,wecanseethathe’sreallyworthrespecting,reallyworthbowingdownto,forhespokethetruth.Hespokeinlinewiththetruth.Onceweseethatthat’sthewayitis,weseetheDhamma.SomepeoplepracticetheDhammabutdon’tseetheDhamma.SomepeoplestudytheDhamma,practicetheDhamma,butdon’tseetheDhamma.Theystilldon’thaveanyplacetostay.

Soyouhavetounderstandthateverybody,allthewaydowntoantsandtermites

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andalltheotherlittleanimals,istryingtorunaway.There’snoonewhocanstayhere.Livingthingsstayforawhileandthentheyallgo:richpeople,poorpeople,children,oldpeople,evenanimals.Theyallkeepchanging.

Sowhenyousensethattheworldislikethis,youseethatit’sdisenchanting.There’snothingthat’sreallyyouoryours.You’redisenchanted—nibbidā.Disenchantmentisn’tdisgust,youknow.It’sjusttheheartsoberingup.Thehearthasseenthetruthofthewaythingsare:There’snowayyoucanfixthem.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Youletthemgo.Youletgowithoutgladness.Youletgowithoutsadness.Youjustletthingsgoasfabrications,seeingwithyourowndiscernmentthatthat’sthewayfabricationsare.Thisiscalled,aniccavatasaṅkhāra:Fabricationsareinconstant.Theychangebackandforth.That’sinconstancy.

Toputitinsimpleterms:InconstancyistheBuddha.Whenwereallyseethatthesethingsareinconstant,that’stheBuddha.Whenwelookclearlyintoinconstancy,we’llseethatit’sconstant.Howisitconstant?It’sconstantinbeingthatway.Itdoesn’tchangeintoanyotherway.Humanbeingsandanimals,oncethey’reborn,areallthatway.They’reconstantinthatway—inthatthey’reinconstant.Theykeepchanging,changingfromchildrentoyoungpeopletooldpeople:That’showthey’reinconstant.Butthefactthateveryoneisthatway:That’sconstant.Thatdoesn’tchange.Thingskeepchanginginthatway.Whenyouseethis,yourheartcanbeatpeace,forit’snotjustyou.It’severyone.

Whenyouthinkinthisway,it’sdisenchanting.Nibbidāarises.Itcuresyouofyourlustanddesireforsensuality,fortheworld,forthebaitsoftheworld.Ifyouhavealotofthem,youabandonalot.Ifyouhavealittle,youabandonalittle.Lookateveryone.Haveyouseenanyofthesethingssinceyouwereborn?Haveyouseenpoorpeople?Haveyouseenrichpeople?Haveyouseenpeoplewhodieyoung?Haveyouseenpeoplewhodieold?We’veallseenthesethings.They’renobigdeal.

TheimportantpointisthattheBuddhahasusbuildahomeforourselves,tobuildahomeinthewayI’vedescribedtoyou.Buildahomesoyoucanletgo,sothatyoucanleavethingsbe.Letthemgoandthenleavethembe.Letthemindreachpeace.Peaceissomethingthatdoesn’tmoveforward,doesn’tmoveback,doesn’tstayinplace.That’swhyitspeace.It’speaceinthatit’sfreefromgoingforward,freefrommovingback,freefromstayinginplace.

Pleasureisn’taplaceforyoutostay.Painisn’taplaceforyoutostay.Painwearsaway.Pleasurewearsaway.OurforemostTeachersaidthatallfabricationsareinconstant.Sowhenwereachthislaststageinlife,hetellsustoletgoandleavethingsbe.Wecan’ttakethemwithus.We’llhavetoletthemgoanyhow,sowouldn’titbebettertoletthemgobeforehand?Ifwecarrythemaround,theyweighusdown.Whenwesensethattheyweighusdown,wewon’tcarrythemaround.Wouldn’titbebettertoletthemgobeforehand?Sowhycarrythemaround?Whybeattachedto

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them?Letyourchildrenandgrandchildrenlookafteryou,whileyoucanrestatyourease.

Thosewholookafterthesickshouldbevirtuous.Thosewhoaresickshouldgiveotherstheopportunitytolookafterthem.Don’tgivethemdifficulties.Whereverthere’spain,learnhowtokeepyourmindingoodshape.Thosewholookaftertheirparentsshouldhavetheirvirtues,too.Youhavetobepatientandtolerant.Don’tfeeldisgust.Thisistheonlytimeyoucanreallyrepayyourparents.Inthebeginningyouwerechildren,andyourparentswereadults.Itwasindependenceonthemthatyou’vebeenabletogrowup.Thefactthatyou’reallsittinghereisbecauseyourparentslookedafteryouineveryway.Youowethemahugedebtofgratitude.

Sonowyoushouldunderstandthatyourmotherisachild.Before,youwereherchildren,butnowshe’syourchild.Whyisthat?Aspeoplegetolder,theyturnintochildren.Theycan’trememberthings;theireyescan’tseethings;theirearscan’thearthings;theymakemistakeswhentheyspeak,justlikechildren.Soyoushouldunderstandandletgo.Don’ttakeoffenseatwhatthesickpersonsaysanddoes.Letherhaveherway,inthesamewayyou’dletachildhaveitswaywhenitwon’tlistentoitsparents.Don’tmakeitcry.Don’tmakeitfrustrated.

It’sthesamewithyourmother.Whenpeopleareold,theirperceptionsgetallskewed.Theywanttocallonechild,buttheysayanotherone’sname.Theyaskforabowlwhentheywantaplate.Theyaskforaglasswhentheywantsomethingelse.Thisisthenormalwaythingsare,soIaskyoutocontemplateitforyourself.

Atthesametime,thesickpersonshouldthinkofthoselookingafterher.Havethevirtueofpatienceandenduranceinthefaceofpain.Makeaneffortinyourheartsothatitisn’taturmoil.Don’tplacetoomanydifficultiesonthepeoplelookingafteryou.Asforthoselookingafterthesickperson,havethevirtueofnotfeelingdisgustovermucusandsaliva,urineandexcrement.Trytodothebestyoucan.Allofthechildrenshouldhelpinlookingafterher.

She’snowtheonlymotheryouhave.You’vedependedonhereversinceyouwereborn:tobeyourteacher,yournurse,yourdoctor—shewaseverythingforyou.Thisisthebenefactionshegaveinraisingyou.Shegaveyouknowledge;sheprovidedforyourneedsandgaveyouwealth.Everythingyouhave—thefactthatyouhavechildrenandgrandchildren,nicehomes,niceoccupations,thefactthatyoucansendyourchildrentogetaneducation—thefactthatyouevenhaveyourself:Whatdoesthatcomefrom?Itcomesfromthebenefactionofyourparentswhogaveyouaninheritancesothatyourfamilylineisthewayitis.

TheBuddhathustaughtbenefactionandgratitude.Thesetwoqualitiescomplementeachother.Benefactionisdoinggoodforothers.Whenwe’vereceivedthatgoodness,receivedthathelp:Whoeverhasraisedus,whoeverhasmadeitpossibleforustolive,whetherit’samanorawoman,arelativeornot,thatpersonisour

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benefactor.Gratitudeisourresponse.Whenwe’vereceivedhelpandsupportfrombenefactors,

weappreciatethatbenefaction.That’sgratitude.Whatevertheyneed,whateverdifficultythey’rein,weshouldbewillingtomakesacrificesforthem,totakeonthedutyofhelpingthem.Thisisbecausebenefactionandgratitudearetwoqualitiesthatundergirdtheworldsothatyourfamilydoesn’tscatter,sothatit’satpeace,sothatit’sassolidandstableasitis.

TodayI’vebroughtyousomeDhammaasagiftinyourtimeofillness.Idon’thaveanyothergifttogive.There’snoneedtobringyouanymaterialgift,foryouhaveplentyofmaterialthingsinyourhouse,andovertimetheyjustcauseyoudifficulties.SoI’vebroughtyousomeDhamma,somethingofsubstancethatwillneverrunout.Nowthatyou’veheardthisDhamma,youcanpassitontoanynumberofotherpeople,andit’llneverrunout.It’llneverstop.It’sthetruthoftheDhamma,atruththatalwaysstaysasitis.

I’mhappythatI’vebeenabletogiveyouthisgiftofDhammasothatyou’llhavethestrengthofhearttocontendwithallthethingsyouface.

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Still,FlowingWater

OKAY,EVERYONE,BEINTENT.PAYATTENTION.Eventhoughyou’resittingnearoneanother,don’tletyourmindfocusonthispersonorthat.It’sasifyou’resittingaloneonamountainorinaforestsomewhere,allbyyourself.You’resitting.Whatdoyouhavesittinghererightnow?Justbodyandmind,that’sall.Bodyandmind.Onlythesetwothings.Whatyouhavesittinghererightnowisthebodyandthemind.Everythingsittinginthisphysicallumphereis“body.”“Mind”iswhatthinks,whatreceivesandisawareofpreoccupationsinthepresent.Oryoucancallthesetwothingsnāmaandrūpa.Nāmameansanythingthathasnorūpa,orform.Anythinkingaboutanythingatall,oreverykindofsensation,iscallednāma—thingslikefeelings,perceptions,thought-fabrications,andconsciousness.“Feeling,”forinstance,meanswhat’sawareofpleasureorpain.Itdoesn’thaveanysubstance.Thesethingsarenāma.Whentheeyeseesforms,thoseformsarecalledrūpa.Theawarenessofformsiscallednāma.Togetherthey’recallednāma-dhammaandrūpa-dhamma—mentalphenomenaandphysicalphenomena—orsimplybodyandmind.

Everythingthatcomesoutofthesetwothingsisadisturbanceinmanyways,inlinewitheachparticularphenomenon.Soifyouwantpeace,allyouhavetoknowisrūpaandnāma,orbodyandmind.That’senough.Butthemindasitisrighthereisstilluntrained.It’sdirty.Unclean.It’snottheprimalmind.Wehavetotrainitbymakingitstillfromtimetotime.

Sotoday,whileI’mgivingyouthisadvice,don’tbeirritatedbyit.Youdon’thavetobeirritated.Youhavetoincreasetheknowledgeinyourmind.

Supposethatyou’resittinginconcentration.Concentrationisn’tjustamatterofsitting.Whenyouwalk,youcanalsobeinconcentration.Somepeoplethinkthatconcentrationmeanssitting,butthetruthofthematteristhatstanding,sitting,walking,andlyingdownarepartofthepractice,too.Youcanpracticeconcentrationatanytime.Concentrationliterallymeans,“firmintent.”Atnormalcy,withoutforgetting.Forexample,eachofyouhascomefromyourhomeheretoDiamondLightCaveMountain.Eachofyouhascomeawayfromyourhome.Butinreality,yourmindisalreadyinyourhome,yourrestingplace.Itgoeswithyoueverywhere.Whereverithastoendup,that’syourhome.

Practicingconcentrationisn’tamatterofimprisoningthemind.Somepeoplethink,“Topracticeconcentration,Ihavetogolookforsomepeace,tositwithoutanyissuesarisingatall.Iwanttositintotalsilence.”Butthat’sadeadperson,notaliving

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one.Topracticeconcentrationistogiverisetoknowledge,togiverisetodiscernment.Concentrationisafirmintent,focusedonasinglepreoccupation.Whatkindof

objectisasinglepreoccupation?Thecorrectpreoccupation.Ordinarilywesittomakethemindtotallysilent.Somepeoplereallysufferoverthis—especiallyhighschoolanduniversitystudents.Theycometomeandsay,“Itrytositinconcentration,butmymindwon’tstayput.Firstitrunsoffoneplace,thenitrunsoffsomewhereelse.Idon’tknowhowtomakeitstopandstayput.”Butthisisnotthesortofthingyoucanstop.Whenyousaythatit’srunningbackandforth,it’snotreallyrunning.There’ssimplyasensationthatarisesrighthere.Itdoesn’trunbackandforth.Peoplecomplain,“ItrunsoffandIpullitbackagain,pullitbackhere;thenitwalksoffoverthereagainandIpullitback…”Sotheyjustsittherepullinglikethis.

Theythinktheirmind’srunningaround,butactuallytheonlythingsthatrunareourimpressions.Forexample,lookatthishallhere:“Wow,”yousay,“it’sawfullybig!”Butthehallisn’twhat’sbig,justourimpressionofit,that’sall.Thishallisn’tbig.It’sjustthesizeitis.It’sneitherbignorsmall,butwerunaroundafterourthoughtsandimpressionsofthings.

Meditatingtofindpeace:Youhavetounderstandwhatthisword“peace”is.Ifyoudon’tunderstandit,youwon’tbepeaceful.Forexample,supposethattodayyouwalkedherefromwhereverandbroughtalongapen—onethatyoulove,anexpensiveonethatcost500or1000baht.Andsupposethatonyourwayhereyouhappenedtoputthepensomeplace—say,inyourfrontpocket—butlateryoutookitoutandputitinyourbackpocket.Nowwhenyoufeelforitinyourfrontpocket:It’snotthere!Youpanic.Youpanicbecauseyoudon’tseethetruthofthematter.Yougetallupset.Standing,walking,comingandgoing,youcan’tstopworrying,thinkingthatyourpenislost.Butactuallyitisn’tlost.It’sinyourbackpocket.Itisn’tlost.Butbecauseyouthinkthatit’slost,yousufferbecauseofyourwrongthinking.Thiswrongthinkingissuffering.Soyouworry:“Whatashame!Whatashame!I’veonlyhadthispenforafewdaysandnowit’slost.”

Butthenyouremember,“Oh,ofcourse!WhenIwenttobathe,Iputthepeninmybackpocket.”Assoonasyourememberthis,youfeelbetteralready,evenwithoutseeingyourpen.Seethat?You’rehappyalready;you’vestoppedworryingaboutyourpen.You’resureaboutitnow.Asyouwalkalong,yourunyourhandoveryourbackpocket:“Thereitis.”Yourmindwaslyingtoyou.Yourpenwasn’tlost,butthemindliedtoyouthatitwas.Yousufferedbecauseyoudidn’tknow.Themindwasnaturallyworried.Butnowwhenyouseethepenandyou’resureaboutit,yourworriescalmdown.

Thissortofpeaceandcalmcomesfromseeingthecauseoftheproblem:samudaya,thecauseofsuffering.Youweresuffering,andthesamudayawasthecausegivingrisetothatsuffering.Assoonasyou’resurethatthepenisinyourbackpocket,

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there’snirodha,thedisbandingofsuffering.It’sbecauseofthissortofthingthatthemindisalwaysfooled,whichiswhythe

Buddhataughtusthatwehavetocontemplatetofindpeace.Whenwemakethemindpeacefulthroughconcentration,it’ssimplythecalmingofthemind,notthecalmingofthedefilements.It’snotthecalmingofdefilementsatall.You’rejustsittingontopofyourdefilementstocalmthem,likearocksittingonthegrass.Assoonasgrassstartsgrowing,youputarockontopofit.Thegrassstopsbecausetherockissittingontopofit.Inthree,four,fivedays,sixdays,sevendaysyouliftuptherock,andthegrassstartsgrowingagain.Thatmeansthatthegrassdidn’treallydie.Itwasjustsuppressed.Thesamewithsittinginconcentration:Themindiscalmed,butthedefilementsaren’tcalmed.Thisiswhyconcentrationisn’tforsure.Tofindrealpeaceyouhavetocontemplate.Concentrationisonekindofpeace,liketherocksittingonthegrass.Youcanleaveittheremanydaysbutwhenyoupickitup,thegrassstartsgrowingagain.That’sonlytemporarypeace.Temporarypeace.

Thepeaceofdiscernmentislikeneverliftinguptherock,justleavingittherewhereitis.Thegrasscan’tpossiblygrowagain.That’sgenuinepeace,thecalmingofthedefilementsforsure.That’sdiscernment.

Wespeakofdiscernmentandconcentrationasseparatethings,butactuallythey’reoneandthesamething.Discernmentisjustthemovementofconcentration,that’sall.Theycomefromthesamemindbuttheycomeoutseparately,withdifferentcharacteristics,likethismangohere.Thismangoissmall,butthenitgrowslarger,thenit’sripe,andthenit’srotten.It’sallthesamemango.They’renotdifferentones.Whenit’ssmall,it’sthismango.Whenit’slarge,it’sthismango.Whenit’sripe,it’sthismango.Onlyitscharacteristicschange.Butit’sstillthesamemango.Sodon’tjumptotheconclusionthatyou’realreadypracticingtheDhammacorrectly,thatwhenyoupracticetheDhamma,oneconditioniscalledconcentration,anotherconditioniscalleddiscernment.Actually,virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentareallthesamething,notdifferentthings,justliketheonemango.Whenit’ssmall,it’sthatsamemango.Whenit’slarge,it’sthatsamemango.Whenit’sripe,it’sthatsamemango.Itjustsimplychangesitscharacteristics,andsowekeepingrunning,running,running,runningafterthem.

Actually,inpracticingtheDhamma,whateverhappens,youhavetostartfromthemind.Beginwiththemind.Doyouknowwhatyourmindis?Whatisyourmindlike?Whereisit?You’reallspeechless.Wherethemindis,whatit’slike,nobodyknows.[Laughs]Youdon’tknowanythingaboutitatall.Youdon’tknow.Allyouknowisthatyouwanttogooverhereoroverthere,themindfeelshappyorsad,buttheminditselfyoucan’tknow.Whatisthemind?Themindisn’t“is”anything.Whatwouldit“is”?We’vecomeupwiththesuppositionthatwhateverreceivespreoccupations—goodpreoccupations,badpreoccupations,whatever—wecall“heart”or“mind.”Likethe

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ownerofahouse:Whoeverreceivestheguestsistheownerofthehouse.Theguestscan’treceivetheowner.Theownerhastostayputathome.Whenguestscometoseehim,hehastoreceivethem.Sowhoreceivespreoccupations?Wholetsgoofpreoccupations?Whoknowsanything?[Laughs]That’swhatwecall“mind.”Butwedon’tunderstandit,sowetalk,veeringoffcoursethiswayandthat:“Whatisthemind?Whatistheheart?”Wegetthingswaytooconfused.Don’tanalyzeitsomuch.Whatisitthatreceivespreoccupations?Somepreoccupationsdon’tsatisfyit,andsoitdoesn’tlikethem.Somepreoccupationsitlikesandsomeitdoesn’t.Whoisthat—wholikesanddoesn’tlike?Istheresomethingthere?Yes.What’sitlike?Wedon’tknow.Understand?Thatthing…Thatthingiswhatwecallthe“mind.”Don’tgolookingfaraway.

Somepeoplehavetokeepthinking:“Whatisthemind?Whatistheheart?”—allkindsofthings,keepingatit,backandforthuntiltheygocrazy.Theydon’tunderstandanything.Youdon’thavetothinkthatfar.Simplyaskyourself,“Whatdoyouhaveinyourself?”Therearerūpaandnāma;orthere’sabodyandthere’samind.That’senough.

Somepeopleask,“I’veheardthattheBuddhakneweverything.Well,ifhekneweverything…”TheypracticetheDhammaandstartarguing:“Howmanyrootsdoesatreehave?”TheBuddhaanswersthatithastaprootsandrootlets.“Buthowmanyrootletsdoesithave?”Thatshowsthey’recrazy,right?Theywantananswerabouttherootlets:“Howmanyrootletsarethere?Howmanytaprootsarethere?”Whydotheyask?“Well,theBuddhakneweverything,didn’the?He’dhavetoknow,allthewaytotherootlets.”Whowouldbecrazyenoughtocountthem?DoyouthinktheBuddhawouldbestupidlikethat?He’dsaythattherearerootletsandtaproots,andthatwouldbeenough.

It’slikecuttingourwaythroughtheforest.Ifwefeltwehadtocutdowneverytree,allthebigtreesandallthesmalltrees,we’dbegettingoutofhand.Wouldwehavetouprootthemallinordertogetthroughtheforest?We’dcutbackjusttheonesneededtoopenourway.That’senough.Whywouldwehavetoleveleverytree?

Howevermanyrootletsthistreehasdoesn’tmatter.Justknowingthatithasrootlets,andthatitdependsonbigrootsandlittlerootlets:That’senough,don’tyouthink?It’senough.TheBuddhasaidthatit’senough.Hedoesn’twantustogocountingtherootletsoftrees.It’dbeawasteoftime.Whatpurposewouldcountingthemserve?Thetreelivesbecauseofitsroots:That’senough.Butsomepeoplearen’tsatisfied.“Thatcan’tbethecase.TheBuddhakneweverything.”Ifyouhadtocountalltherootlets,you’dgocrazy,that’sall.Sodon’tunderstandthingsinthatway.

Inourpractice,whetheryoucallitconcentrationorvipassanā(insight)doesn’tmatter.Let’sjustcallitpracticingtheDhamma,that’senough.Butyouhavetostartthispracticebeginningwithyourownmind.Whatisthemind?Themindiswhat

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receivespreoccupations.Whenitmakescontactwiththispreoccupation,it’shappy.Whenitmakescontactwiththatpreoccupation,it’ssad.Thethingthatreceivespreoccupationsleadsustohappinessandsuffering,rightandwrong,butitisn’tathing.Wesupposeittobeathing,butit’sreallyonlynāma-dhamma.Isgoodnessathing?Isevilathing?Ishappinessathing?Issufferingathing?Youcan’tseethattheyare.Aretheyroundorsquare?Howshort?Howlong?Doyouknow?They’renāma-dhamma.Theycan’tbecomparedtothings—butweknowthatthey’rethere.Thisiswhat’smeantbynāma.Bothrūpaandnāmagotogether;theydependoneachother.Sowe’retaughttousenāmatocontemplaterūpa;usethehearttocontemplatethebody.Justthesetwothings.

Sowe’retoldtobeginthepracticewiththemind:calmingthemind;makingitaware.Ifthemindisaware,it’llbeatpeace.Somepeopledon’tgoforawareness.Theyjustwanttohavepeacetothepointwherethere’snothing,wheretheyaren’tawareofanything.Butwhatcouldyoudowithoutthisknower?Whatcouldyoudependon?It’snotshort;it’snotlong;it’snotwrong;it’snotright.Butpeoplethesedayskeepstudying,lookingtounderstandrightnessandwrongness,goodnessandevil,buttheydon’tknowneither-rightness-nor-wrongness.Allthey’relookingtoknowiswhat’srightandwrong:“I’mgoingtotakeonlywhat’sright.Iwon’ttakewhat’swrong.WhyshouldI?”Ifyoutrytotakeonlywhat’sright,soonit’llgowrong.It’srightforthesakeofwrong.Peoplekeepsearchingforrightnessandwrongness,buttheydon’ttrytofindwhat’sneither-rightness-nor-wrongness.Theykeepsearchingformerit,andalltheyknowismeritandevil,sotheystudythem,buttheydon’tstudyfurtheroverthere—wherethere’sneithermeritnorevil.They’reignorantofit.Alltheywantareissuesoflongandshort,buttheissueofneitherlongnorshort,theydon’tstudy.Theystudyjusttheissuesofgoodandbad:“I’mpracticingtotakewhat’sgood.Idon’twantbad.”Youwantgoodanddon’twantbad,butwhenthere’snobad,there’snogood,either.Whatthen?

Thisknifeplacedhere:Ithastheedgeofitsblade,ithasthebackofitsblade,ithasitshandle—allofitsparts.Whenyouliftitup,canyouliftjusttheedgeoftheblade?Canyoupickupjustthebackoftheblade?Justthehandle?Thehandleisthehandleoftheknife.Thebackofthebladeisthebackoftheknife’sblade.Theedgeofthebladeistheedgeoftheknife’sblade.Whenyoupickuptheknife,youalsopickupitshandle,thebackofitsblade,andtheedgeofitsblade.Coulditsplitoffjusttheedgeofitsbladeforyou?

Thisisanexample.Youtrytoseparateoutjustwhat’sgood,butwhat’sbadcomesalongwithit.Youwantjustwhat’sgoodandtothrowawaywhat’sbad.Youdon’tlearnaboutwhat’sneithergoodnorbad,eventhoughit’srightthere.Whenthat’sthecase,youwon’tcometotheendofthings.Whenyoutakewhat’sgood,what’sbadcomesalongwithit.Theykeepcomingtogether.Ifyouwantpleasure,paincomes

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alongwithit.They’reconnected.SowhenyoupracticetheDhammatotakejustthegoodandnotthebad,it’sthe

Dhammaofchildren,Dhammaforchildrentotoyaroundwith.Sure,ifyouwant,youcantakejustthismuch,butifyougrabontowhat’sgood,what’sbadwillfollow.Theendofthispathgetsallclutteredup.

Toputitinsimpleterms:Youhavechildren.Nowsupposeyouwanttohavethemonlywhenyoulovethem,andnotwhenyouhatethem.Ifthatwerethecase,nobodywouldhaveanychildren.Withthesetwothings,ifyoutakethelove,hatredwillcomerunninginitswake.

SowhenyousetyourheartonpracticingtheDhamma,usediscernment.Usediscernment,forthesethingscomealongwitheachother.Studywhat’sgoodandwhat’sbad,justtoseewhatgoodislike,whatbadislike.Studythesethingsinasmuchdetailasyoucan.Now,whenyou’refamiliarwithgoodandbad,whatwillyoutake?“I’lltakethegood,butnotthebad.”Seethat?Ifyoutakethegood,badcomesrunninginitswake.Youdon’tstudyabouthowtoknowwhat’sneithergoodnorbad.Theissuethatwouldbringthingstoanend,youdon’tstudy.

“I’mgoingtobelikethis,”“I’mgoingtobelikethat”—but“I’mnotgoingtobeanythingbecausethereisn’tanyme”:Thiswedon’tstudy.Allwewanttotakeisgoodness.Ifwegetgoodness,goodness,goodness,wedon’tunderstandit.Wegetdrunkwithgoodness.Ifthingsgettoogood,they’renotgoodanymore.Theygobad,andsowekeeprunningbackandforthlikethis.Wedon’tgetanywhereatall.

Wecometoapeacefulplacetorestandrecover,tomakethemindpeaceful,soastobecomefamiliarwithwhatreceivespreoccupations,toseewhatitis.That’swhywe’retoldtostartwiththemind,tostartwiththeknower.Trainthismindtobepure.Howpure?Youcan’tstopwithjustpureenoughtobegood.Tobereallypure,themindhastobeaboveandbeyondbothgoodandevil,andthenpureaboveandbeyondpure.Done.Onlythenarethingsoveranddone.

Sowhenwepracticesittinginconcentration,it’sjusttemporarypeace.Temporarypeace.Whenit’speaceful,issuesarise.Ifthere’sanissue,there’swhatknowstheissue.There’swhatinvestigatesthecase,interrogates,followsup,passesjudgment.Ifthemindissimplyblank,thennothinghappens.Somepeopleteachyoutoimprisonthemind,toreallyimprisonit,thinkingthatthatsortofpeaceisthegenuinepracticeforsure.Peaceful.Butpeaceinthemindisnotpeacefulinthatway.It’speaceapartfrompleasureandapartfrompain.Before,Iwantedjustthepleasureanddidn’twantpain.ButasIkeptfollowingalonginthatway,Icametorealize,“Oh.Takingjustthepleasureturnsouttobeuncomfortable,too,forthesethingscomealongwitheachother.”OnlywhenIwasabletomakeitsothattherewasnopleasureandnopainintheheart:That’swhenitwasreallyatpeace.

Thisisasubjectthatpeoplehardlyeverstudy,hardlyeverunderstand.Theywant

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what’sright,butwon’ttakewhat’swrong.Andsotheycan’tgettowhathasneitherrightnorwrong.Theydon’tknowwhythey’dstudyit.Theystudytoknowwhat’srightandwhat’swrongjusttotakewhat’srightandnotwhat’swrong—sotheykeepfollowingoneanother.It’slikethisknife:“Iwanttoliftupjustitsblade,butthebackofthebladewillhavetocomealongaswell.”Learntothinkinthisway.Wherevertherearecauses,thingscanariseagain.Theywon’tstop.

Totrainthemindintherightway,tomakeitbright,todevelopdiscernment:Don’tthinkyoucandoitbysittingandmakingitjuststill.That’stherocksittingonthegrass.It’sdrunk.Somepeoplegetdrunkonit.Actually,youcanstandinconcentration,sitinconcentration,walkinconcentration,andliedowninconcentration.Peoplejumptotheconclusionthatconcentrationissitting.That’sjustanameforconcentration,butreally,ifthemindhasconcentration,walkingisconcentration,sittingisconcentration—concentrationwiththewalking,concentrationwiththesitting,thestanding,thelyingdown.That’sthepractice.

Somepeoplecomplain,“Ican’tmeditate.Igetfedup.WheneverIsitdownIthinkofthisandthat,Ithinkofmyhouseandmyfamily.Ican’tdoit.I’vegottoomuchbadkamma.Ishouldletmybadkammarunoutfirstandthencomebackandtrymeditating.”Goahead,justtryit.Trywaitinguntilyourbadkammarunsout.

Thisishowwethink.Whydowethinklikethis?That’swhatwe’restudying.Assoonaswesit,themindgoeswayoverthere.Wetrackitdownandbringitback—andthenitgoesoffagain.Thisishowwestudy.Butmostofusskipclass.

Wedon’twanttostudyourlessons.We’relikeastudentwhoskipsclass,whodoesn’twanttostudyhislessons.Whenthemindisn’tpeaceful,wedon’twanttosit.“Idon’twantthat.It’sirritating.”Butthat’sstudy.We’retruant.Wedon’twanttoseethemindwhenit’shappy;wedon’twanttoseeitwhenit’ssuffering.Wedon’twanttoseeitchange—butthenwhatwillweeverknow?Willweeverknow?Youhavetostaywiththechanginglikethis.Getacquaintedwiththis:“Oh,themindislikethis.Onemomentitthinksofthat;thenextmomentitthinksofthis.That’sitsordinarynature.”Soknowit.Knowwhenitthinks.Knowwhenitsthoughtsaregood,whenthey’rebad,whenthey’rerightandwrong.Knowwhatit’slike.Whenweknowtheaffairsofthemind,thenevenifwe’resimplysitting,thinkingaboutthisorthat,themindisstillinconcentration.Ifweknowwhatit’supto,wedon’tgetirritatedordistracted.

Letmegiveyouanexample.Supposeyouhaveapetmonkeyathome.Mymonasteryhasapetmonkey,too.Whenyou’rehomeandhaveapetmonkey,themonkeydoesn’tsitstill.Nowitgrabsthis;nowitgoesthere—allkindsofthings.That’showmonkeysare.Nowyoucometomymonastery.Ihaveamonkeyheretoo,andthismonkeydoesn’tsitstilleither.Nowitgrabsthis;nowitgoesthere,butitdoesn’tirritateyou,doesit?Why?Becauseyou’vealreadyhadapetmonkey.You’re

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familiarwithmonkeys.“Mymonkeyathomeisjustlikethismonkeyhere.Stayingatyourmonasteryisjustlikestayingathome.It’sthesamemonkey.”Ifyouknowjustonemonkey,thennomatterhowmanyprovincesyougoto,youseethesamemonkey,anditdoesn’tirritateyou,right?That’ssomeonewhounderstandsmonkeys.

Ifweunderstandmonkeysthenwewon’tbecomemonkeys.Ifyoudon’tunderstandmonkeys,thenassoonasyouseeamonkey,youbecomeamonkeyyourself,right?Whenyouseeittakingthisandgrabbingthat,“Oh!”You’reirritated.You’reupsetatthismonkey.That’ssomeonewhodoesn’tunderstandmonkeys.Someonewhounderstandsmonkeysseesthemonkeyathomeandthinks,“It’sthesamemonkey.ThemonkeyatDiamondLightCaveMonasteryisjustlikethis.”Sowhyshouldtheyirritateyou?Youunderstandwhatmonkeysarelike,andthat’senough.Youcanbeatpeace.Atpeace.Ifthemonkeyjumpsinfrontofyouandbehindyou,youcanbeatyourease.You’renotirritatedbythemonkey.Why?Becauseyouunderstandmonkeys—soyoudon’tbecomeamonkey.Ifyoudon’tunderstandmonkeys,yougetirritated.Whenyougetirritated,youbecomeamonkey—understand?Thisishowthingsgrowcalm.

Wehavetoknowpreoccupations,observepreoccupations.Somewelike;somewedon’t,butsowhat?That’stheirbusiness.That’swhatthey’relike—justlikemonkeys.Allmonkeysarethesamemonkey.Weunderstandpreoccupations,whattheirconditionsare.Somewelike;somewedon’t.That’swhatthey’relike.Wehavetogetfamiliarwiththem.Whenyou’refamiliarwiththem,letthemgo:“Oh.Preoccupationsaren’tforsure.They’reallinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.”Wekeeplookingattheminthatway.Ifthey’reirritated,iftheywigglearound,justwatchthem—andthey’renobigdeal.Whereveryousit,whenpreoccupationspopupviatheeye,ear,nose,tongue,body,ormind,yousee,“Hmm.They’renobigdeal.”It’slikewatchingmonkeys.Thismonkeyisjustlikethemonkeyathome.It’snobigdeal.Thenwecanbeatpeace.

Whenpreoccupationsarise,getfamiliarwiththem.Whyrunafterthem?Preoccupationsarenotforsure.Nowthey’rethisway;nowthey’rethatway.Sometimestheygobacktowhattheywerebefore.Theyexistthroughchange.Andallofushereexistthroughchange.Aswhenyoubreathe:Sometimesthebreathgoesout;sometimesitcomesbackin.Itchangeslikethis.Youliveherethroughchange.Tryonlybreathingin,withoutbreathingout:Canyoudothat?Howmanyminuteswouldyoulast?Ortryjustbreathingoutwithoutbreathingin.Iftherewerenochange,couldyousurvive?Youcouldn’tsurviveatall.Youneedtohaveboththein-breathandtheout-breathlikethis.Whenyouwalktothemonastery,ifyoujustheldyourbreathallthewayfromhome,you’dbedeadbynow.Youwouldn’thavemadeit.Sounderstandthis.

Thesamewithpreoccupations:Theyhavetobethere.Iftheyweren’tthere,you

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couldn’tdevelopanydiscernment.Iftherewerenowrong,therecouldbenoright.Youhavetoberightfirstbeforeyoucanseewhat’swrong.Oryouhavetobewrongfirstbeforeyoucanberight.That’sthewaythingsnormallyare.That’showyougaindiscernment.Themorepreoccupationsyousee,thebetter—especiallyifyou’reahighschooloruniversitystudent.

Buthere,ifyoudon’tlikepreoccupations,youdon’twanttodealwiththem,youdon’twanttowatchthem.That’scalledbeingastudentwhoskipsclass,whodoesn’twanttolearnortolistentowhattheteacheristeaching.Thesepreoccupationsareteachingus.Whenweknowpreoccupationsinthisway,we’repracticingDhamma.We’reatpeace.Weseethatpreoccupationsarenobigdeal.That’swhatthey’relike.It’slikeseeingmonkeys.Themonkeyathomedoesn’tirritateyou.Whenyouseethemonkeyhereitdoesn’tirritateyou—becauseyouunderstandmonkeys,right?Youcanbeatease.

It’sthesamewiththepracticeofDhamma.ThisiswhattheDhammaislike.It’snothingveryfaraway.It’srightwithyou.TheDhammaisn’taboutdivinebeingsoranythinglikethat.It’ssimplyaboutwhatyou’redoing,whatyou’redoingrightnow.YourissuesareallissuesoftheDhamma.Ifyoulookatbooks,theyhaveyourissueswrittendowninthem,butyouwon’tunderstandthem.TheissuesoftheDhammaareallyourissues.Socontemplateyourself.Sometimesthere’shappiness,sometimessuffering,sometimescomfort,sometimesirritation;sometimesyoulovethatperson,sometimesyouhatethisperson.ThisisDhamma,right?

ToknowthisDhamma,youhavetoreadyourpreoccupations.Onlywhenyou’refamiliarwiththemcanyouletthemgo,seeingthatthey’renotforsure.Thatwayyoucanbeatease.Whensomethingcomesflashingup:“Hmm.Thisisn’tforsure.”Thenyourpreoccupationschange.Painarisesandsomethingcomesflashingup:“Thisisn’tforsure.”Youcanbeatyourease,inthesamewaythatyoucanbeateasewhenseeingthemonkeyinyourhome,andthenthemonkeyatDiamondLightCaveMountain,forthey’rethesamemonkey.Youcanbeatyourease.Youwon’thaveanydoubts.Ifyou’refamiliarwithpreoccupations,you’refamiliarwiththeDhamma.Youcanletgoofpreoccupations.Youseethatthere’snothingforsureaboutpreoccupationsinanywayatall.Haveyoueverbeenhappy?Haveyoueverbeensad?Youdon’thavetoanswer,Icananswerforyou:“Yes.”Arethesethingsforsure?“No.”Thiswayyouknowthethingthat’salloneandthesame—thatthey’renotforsure.

ThisistheBuddha.TheBuddhaistheDhamma.TheDhammaiswhat’snotforsure.Whoeverseesthatthingsaren’tforsure,seesforsurethatthat’sthewaytheyare.Thewaytheyaredoesn’tchange.Butwhyaretheythatway?That’swhattheDhammaislike.Andthat’swhattheBuddhaislike.TheBuddhaistheDhamma.TheDhammaistheBuddha.WhoeverseestheDhamma,seestheBuddha;whoeverseestheBuddha,seestheDhamma.Ifyouknowinconstancy,not-for-sure-ness,you’llletthingsgoof

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yourownaccord.Youwon’tgraspontothem.Supposeyougetaglass.Yousay,“Thisismine,anditisn’tbroken.Lookafterit

well,okay?Don’tbreakmyglass,okay?”Butcanyoupreventsomethingbreakablefrombreaking?Ifitdoesn’tbreaknow,it’llbreaklateron.Ifyoudon’tbreakit,someoneelsewillbreakit.Ifsomeoneelsedoesn’tbreakit,achickenwillbreakit!TheBuddhasaystoacceptthis.Whenheusesthisgoodglass,hepenetratesallthewaytoseeingthatthisglassisalreadybroken.Heseesthisglassthatisn’tbroken,andhasusknowthatit’salreadybroken.Wheneveryoupickuptheglass,hehasyousay,“Thisglassisalreadybroken.”Drinkfromitandputitdown:Hetellsyouthatit’salreadybroken.Right?TheBuddha’sunderstandingwaslikethis.Hesawthebrokenglassintheunbrokenone.Whydidheknowthatitwasbroken?Becauseitisn’tbroken.That’showheknewitasbroken.“Wheneveritstimeisup,it’llbreak”:Hedevelopedthisattitudeandkeptonusingtheglass.Onedayitslippedoutofhishand:“Smash!”Noproblem.Whynoproblem?“BecauseIsawitasbrokenbeforeitbroke.”See?

Butyousay,“Myglassissoexpensive.Don’teverletitbreak.”Lateronthedogbreaksit:“Hmm.WhatifIkilledthisdog?”Ifyourchildbreaksit,youhateyourchild.You’rethatwaywithwhateverbreaksit—becauseyou’vedammedyourselfupsothatthewatercan’tflow.You’vemadeadamwithoutaspillway.Youjustdamthingsupwithoutaspillway,sotheonlythingthedamcandoisburst,right?Whenyoumakeadam,youhavetomakeaspillway,too.Whenthewaterrisesthisfar,itcanflowofftotheside.Whenit’sfulltothebrim,itcanflowoutthatway,right?Youneedaspillway.TheBuddhasawinconstancy,andthat’sthewaythingsare.Healreadysawthatthey’reinconstant.Whenyouseethingsthisway,youcanbeatpeace.

That,inshort,isthepracticeoftheDhamma.SoI’velearnedtoholdthatwhetherstanding,walking,sitting,orlyingdown,I

keeponpracticing,usingmindfulnesstowatchoverandprotectthemind.That’sconcentration.Discernmentisconcentration;concentrationisdiscernment.Youcansaythatthey’reboththesamething.Theydifferonlyintheircharacteristics.

Weseethatwhenthingsareinconstant,they’restressful.Ifwereallyseeinconstancy,whichmeansthatthingsaren’tforsure,whenwepenetratetoseeclearlythatthingsaren’tforsure,thenwhatweseeisforsure.Sureinwhatway?Surethatthat’sthewaytheyare.Theydon’tchangeintoanyotherway.Understand?Whenyouknowjustthismuch,youknowtheBuddha.You’veboweddowntohim.You’veboweddowntohisDhamma.Takethisprincipleandmullitover.

Aslongasyoudon’tabandontheBuddha,youwon’tsuffer.Assoonasyouabandonhim,you’llsufferimmediately.You’llsufferassoonasyouabandontheprinciplesofinconstancy,stress,andnot-self.Understandthingsinthisway.

Ifyoucanpracticejustthismuch,Ifeelthatit’senough.Sufferingwon’tarise,orifitdoesariseyoucandisbanditeasily.Andthatwillbeacauseforsufferingnotto

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ariseinthefuture.That’swherethingsfinish,atthepointwheresufferingdoesn’tarise.Whydoesn’titarise?It’snottherebecausewe’veputanendtothecauseofsuffering,orsamudaya.

Withthecauseofsuffering,thingsarereadytobreak.Whentheybreak,sufferingarisesrightaway,right?Whenyouknowthatthisisthecausethatgivesrisetosuffering,youhavetocontemplateit—thatit’snotforsure.It’snotforsure.It’sthecauseofsuffering.Whenthingsbreak—pop!—destroythecausethatwouldgiverisetosuffering.Alldhammasarisefromcauses.Whentheydisband,it’sbecausewe’vedisbandedthesecauses.

Ifsufferingarisesbecausethisglassbreaks—yougetangry,yousuffer—tellyourselfthatthisglasswasalreadybroken.Thecauseofsufferingwilldisband.It’llnolongerbethere.Assoonastheglassbreaks,you’veseenthatitwasbrokenalready.Thebreakinghappensafteryousawit—whichmeansthatit’snotbreaking.There’snosuffering.Whenthere’snosuffering,that’snirodha—cessation,disbanding.Sufferingdisbandsbecauseyou’vedisbandedthecauseofsuffering.

Thisisallthereis.There’snotmuchatall.Thisisallthereis,socontemplateit.Butdon’tstrayawayfromthethreebasicthings:body,speech,andmind.Keepworkingawayrighthere.Contemplateonin.Everythingisrighthere,startingwithyourownheartandmind.Insimpleterms,youshouldallhavethefivepreceptsasyourfoundation.Youdon’thavetogostudythePaliCanon.Thefivepreceptsareamatterofyourbodyandmind,sowatchyourfiveprecepts.Keepworkingatthemalways.Dothiswithcare.Atfirstyou’llmakemistakes.Whenyourealizeit,stop,comeback,andstartoveragain.Maybeyou’llgoastrayandmakeanothermistake.Callyourselfback,eachandeverytime,eachandeverytime.

Yourmindfulnesswillreachahigherfrequency,likewaterpouredfromakettle.Ifwetiltthekettlejustalittletoletthewaterflowoutindrops—glug…glug…glug—therearebreaksintheflow.Ifwetiltthekettlealittlebitmore,thewatergoesglug-glug-glug.Ifwetiltthekettleevenfurther,theglugsdisappear.Thewaterturnsintoasteadystream.Therearenomoredrops.Wheredidtheygo?Theydidn’tgoanywhere.They’veturnedintoasteadystreamofwater.They’resofrequentthatthey’rebeyondfrequency.Theymeldintooneanother,right?That’showthey’reastreamofwater.

TheDhammaisjustlikethis,choosinganalogiesforyoutolistento,becausetheDhammadoesn’thaveanything.Doesithaveacolor?Isitround?Doesithavecorners?Isitshort?There’snowaytogetacquaintedwithitexceptthroughcomparisonslikethis.Ifyouunderstandthis,youunderstandtheDhamma.That’sthewayitis.

Don’tthinkthattheDhammaliesfarawayfromyou.Itliesrightwithyou;it’saboutyou.Takealook.Nowhappy,nowsad,nowsatisfied,nowdissatisfied,nowangryatthisperson,nowhatingthatperson:It’sallDhamma.

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Seeyourselfinthisway.What’stryingtogiverisetosuffering?Whenyou’vedonesomethingthatcausessuffering,turnaroundandundoit.Turnaroundandundoit.Youhaven’tseenitclearly.Whenyouseeitclearly,there’snomoresuffering.Thecausehasbeendisbanded.Onceyou’vekilledthecauseofsuffering,therearenomoreconditionsforittoarise,sosufferingcan’tarise.Ifsufferingisstillarising,ifyoudon’treallyknowit;youhavetoendureit:That’snotyetrightontargetwithit.Lookatitinreallysimpleterms.That’showIlookatit.Seewhereyou’restillwrong.It’sembarrassingtolookatthat.Wheneverthere’stoomuchsuffering,rightthereyou’rewrong.Wheneveryou’resohappythatthemindstartsswellingup—there:Wrongagain!Whicheversideitcomesfromdoesn’tmatter.Bringeverythingtogethertothepointthatit’swrong.Keepexploring.

Ifyoupracticelikethis,you’llbemindfulwhetheryou’restanding,walking,sitting,orlyingdown,comingorgoing,whateveryou’redoing.Ifyou’realwaysmindfulandalert,ifyou’reaware,you’resuretoknowrightandwrong,happinessandsadness.You’llbefamiliarwitheverything.Whenyou’refamiliarwiththesethings,you’llknowhowtoundothemsothattherewon’tbeanysuffering.Youwon’tlettherebesuffering.

Solongasthemindfeelspleasureandpain,it’sdrunk.EvenwhilepracticingtheDhamma,it’sdrunk,youknow.Peoplecangetdrunkeatingrice—there’snoneedtodrinkalcohol.Ifyoueatalotofrice,youcangetdrunk—drunkonrice.ThesamewiththeDhamma:Don’tgetdrunkonit.WhenpeoplearedrunkontheDhamma,theydon’tstop.Theykeepontalking.Iftheyseeanybodycoming,theywanttograbhimbythearmandgivehimasermonontheDhamma.That’sasignthatthey’redrunkonDhamma.Theygoaftereverybody:“Iwanttoteachthatperson;IwanttodothispersonafavorbyteachinghimtheDhamma”—andsotheydoafavortotheentirecountrybyteachingtheDhamma.That’sasignofdrunkenness.BeingdrunkontheDhammaisnodifferentfrombeingdrunkonalcohol.They’rereallysimilar.Don’tgothere.Youhavetolookcarefully,againandagain,forsometimessomethingisDhamma,butit’sdrunk.That’snotright.

Whenstudyingconcentration,Ihavepeoplestudyconcentrationlikethis.Whenit’stimetositinmeditation,thensitenoughsothatyou’regoodatit.That’snotwrong.Butyouhavetoknowthatconcentrationisn’tjustsittinglikethis.Youhavetoletthemindspreadouttoencounterdifferentthings.Whenyou’reawareofsomething,contemplateit.Whenyou’reawareofsomething,contemplateit.Contemplatetoknowwhat?Contemplatetosee,“Oh.That’sinconstant.Stressful.Not-self.Notforsure.”Everythingisnotforsure,letmetellyou.Notforsure.

“Thisissobeautiful,Ireallylikeit.”That’snotforsure.“Idon’tlikethisatall.”Tellit:“This,too,isnotforsure.”Right?Absolutely.No

mistake.Butthat’snothowyougoaboutit.“That’swhatIwant.It’srightforsure.”

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You’vegoneoffthetrackalready.Don’t.Howevermuchyoulikesomethingdoesn’tmatter.Youhavetoadjustthemind.Tellit:“It’snotforsure.”

Whenweeatsomekindsoffood,wethink,“Wow.That’sawfullydelicious.Ireallylikethat.”Therewillbethatfeelingintheheart,butyouhavetomakeaprotest:“It’snotforsure.”Doyouwanttotesthowit’snotforsure?Takeyourfavoritefood,somethingyoulikeforsureeverytime,andeatiteveryday.Every,every,everysingleday,okay?Eventuallyyou’llcomplain,“Thisdoesn’ttastesogoodanymore.”It’snotforsure.You’llthink,“ActuallyIpreferthatkindoffood.”Theneatthateveryday.It’snotforsureeither!Everythinghastogofromonethingtothenext,justlikebreathinginandout.Wehavetobreatheinandbreatheout.Weexistthroughchange.Everythingexiststhroughchangelikethis.

Thesethingsarefoundrightwithus,nowhereelse.Ifwenolongerhaveanydoubts,thenwecansitincomfort,standincomfort.Concentrationisn’tjustsitting.Somepeoplesituntiltheyfallintoastupor.Theymightaswellbedead.Youcan’ttellwhetherthey’regoingnorthorsouth.Don’tholdontoitthatfar.Ifyoufeelfairlysleepy,thenwalk.Changeyourposture.Useyourdiscernment.Ifyou’retotallysleepy,thenliedown.Assoonasyouwakeup,getrightupandcontinueyourefforts.Don’tletyourselfgetdrunk.Ifyou’reameditator,youhavetopracticelikethis.Havereasonsforwhatyoudo.Know.Knowallaround.Discernmentmeansknowingallaround.Youcan’tnotknowallaround.Youcan’tjustknowonesideofthings.Youhavetoknowallaround,inafullcirclelikethis.That’sknowingallaround.Whateversidethingscomefrom,whateverstancetheytake,you’rereadytotakethemonandfightthemoff.

Whenyouliveinthisway,whatwillyoudo?Whatwillhappentoyou?Whenyouliveinthisway,youcontemplate.Whateveryourthoughtfabricationsarelike,you’rereadyforthem.Whenevertheycome—whetheryou’restanding,walking,sitting,orlyingdown—you’rereadytotakethemon.That’showitfeels.Wheneverfabricationsmove,youtakethemon.Youhavetotakeastancelikethis—andyouwon’thavetocry,youknow.You’llbeatpeace.Don’tsettleforpleasure,okay?Don’tsettleforpleasure,forsoonit’lldisappear.Goforpeace,withnoneedforpleasure,noneedforpain.That’swhatitmeanstobeatpeace.Goalltheway.Takeonissuesthatareheavierandheavierinthiswaysoastoknowthemthroughandthrough.

Startknowingfromyourownmindandbody.Seethemasinconstant.They’renotforsure,neitherbodynormind.Thesamegoesforeverything.It’snotforsure.Keepthisinmindwhenyouthinkfoodissodelicious.Youhavetotellyourself:“It’snotforsure!”Youhavetopunchyourlikesfirst.Don’tletthempunchyoufirst.Youhavetopunchthemrightaway,right?Youhavetopunchthemfirst.Whateverthemindlikes,tellit,“It’snotforsure.”Punchitfirst.Butusuallyyoujustletthesethingspunchyoueverytime,everytime.Ifyoudon’tlikesomething:“Idon’tlikethis.Idon’tlikeseeingthis

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suffer”—it’spunchedyou.Ifyoulikesomething:“Ilikethis”—it’spunchedyoueverytime.Youdon’tpunchitatall.Youhavetounderstandinthisway.Wheneveryoulikeanything,sayinyourheart,“Thisisn’tforsure.”Wheneveryoudon’tlikesomething,tellyourself,“Hmm.Thisisn’tforsure.”Keepatthiseveryday,andyou’llseetheDhammaforsure.That’showithastobe.

Practiceinallpostures:standing,walking,sitting,lyingdown.Youcanfeelangerinanyaction,right?Walkingyoucanfeelanger,sittingyoucanfeelanger,lyingdownyoucanfeelanger.Youcanfeeldesirewitheverymoment.Sometimesyoufeeldesirewhilelyingdown,desirewhilerunning,desirewhilesitting.Thisiswhyyouhavetopracticeinallfourpostures—standing,walking,sitting,lyingdown—consistently,withoutanyfrontorback.Putitinthoseterms,aswhentheysaythatsomeoneisspeakingwithoutanyfrontorback.Keepatitlikethis.Onlythencanyouknowallaround.

Whenyousittogetthemindtosettledownandbepeaceful:“Oops.”Thatissuecomesrunningin.Tellyourself:“Notforsure.”Beforeit’sfinished,anotheronecomesrunningin.Andthenanotherone.Youstartitchingallover,andthenyou’regone.Whatyouhavetodoisthat,whentheycomerunninginlikethis,youtellyourself,“It’snotforsure.”Whatevercomesindoesn’tmatter.Whenitcomes,“Oh.Thisisnotforsure.”Youhavetokeeppunchingthemlikethis,hittingthemfirstlikethis.

Thisiscalledknowingtheirweakpoint.Thisisimportant.Ifyouknowthatallthingsaren’tforsure,thenallthethinkinginyourheartwillgraduallyunravel,graduallyunravel,foryou’veseenthatthat’swhat’ssureaboutit.Withsomethings,you’llfeelreallydisgusted,butwhatever,seethatthey’renotforsure.You’veexperiencedthembefore—many,manytimesbefore.“Hmm.Whatever,it’snobigdeal.”Onalaterdayyoucontemplateit:“Nobigdeal.”That’sallthereistoit.Thisthingisnobigdeal.Thatthingisnobigdeal.Youcanmeditateonasinglephrase:“Nobigdeal.”Whateverarises,yougo,“Nobigdeal.”Admonishyourselfjustthatmuch,anditshouldbeenough.

Andwhatelsewouldyoulookfor?WhereexactlywouldyoulookfortheDhamma?“Oh.IhavetolookfortheDhammainbooks.”PeoplegolookinginbooksfortheDhammawhoknowswhere,butitarisesrighthere.Ifyoulookforitoverthere,willyouseeit?Lookforithere.Ifthere’ssufferingtoday,lookatittoseewhythere’ssuffering,andyou’llseeitrighthere.“It’sbecausemyglassisbroken:That’swhyI’msuffering.”Lookrighthere,andyou’llsee:“Oh.”Or,“I’msufferingtodaybecausemywifesaidsomethingIcouldn’tstand.”Thecauseisrighthere.“Oh.That’snotforsure.”Killit.Witheverything,keepsettingfiretoitlikethat.Keepwalkingaheadofit.Sofaryou’vebeenwalkingbehindit.Thesethingsliewithyou.They’renowhereelse.Ifyoucansensethingsinthisway,you’llbeatpeace.Atpeace.Whereveryougo,yourmindwillbeatpeace.

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Buttosayit’satpeaceisnotquiteright.Haveyoueverseenflowingwater?Flowingwater:Haveyoueverseenit?Haveyou

everseenstillwater?Ifyourmindispeaceful,it’skindoflikestill,flowingwater.Haveyoueverseenstill,flowingwater?[Laughs]There!You’veonlyseenstillwaterandflowingwater.You’veneverseenstill,flowingwater.Rightthere,rightwhereyourthinkingcan’ttakeyou:wherethemindisstillbutcandevelopdiscernment.Whenyoulookatyourmind,it’llbekindoflikeflowingwater,andyetit’sstill.Itlookslikeit’sstill,itlookslikeit’sflowing,soit’scalledstill,flowingwater.That’swhatit’slike.That’swherediscernmentcanarise.

Sogiveitatry.

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Suppositions&Release

ALLTHETHINGSINTHEWORLDaresuppositionsthatwe’vesupposedintobeing.Oncewe’vesupposedthem,wefallforourownsupposings,sonobodyletsthemgo.Theyturnintoviewsandpride,intoattachment.Thisattachmentissomethingthatneverends.It’sanaffairofsaṁsārathatflowswithoutrespite,withnowayofcomingtoclosure.Butifwereallyknowoursuppositions,we’llknowrelease.Ifwereallyknowrelease,we’llknowoursuppositions.That’swhenyouknowtheDhammathatcancometoclosure.

Takepeople,forinstance.Whenwestartout,we’rebornwithoutnames.Thefactthatwehavenamescomesfromtheirbeingsupposedintobeing.I’vethoughtaboutthisandseenthatifyoudon’treallyknowsuppositions,theycancausealotofharm.Actually,suppositionsaresimplythingsforustouse.Ifweunderstandwhatthey’refor,that’senough.Knowthatifwedidn’thavesuppositions,there’dbenothingwecouldsaytooneanother,nolanguagetousewithoneanother.

WhenIwentabroad,IsawWesternerssittinginmeditationinrowafterrow.Whentheygotupaftersitting,menandwomentogether,sometimesthey’dgoandtouchoneanotheronthehead,onepersonafteranother!WhenIsawthisIthought,“Hmm,ifwesetupasuppositionanywhereandclingtoit,itgivesrisetodefilementsrightthere.”Ifwe’rewillingtoletgoofoursuppositions,wecanbeatpeace.

Likethegeneralsandcolonels,menofrankandposition,whocometoseeme.Whentheycometheysay,“Oh,pleasetouchmyhead”:Thatshowsthatthey’rewilling,sothere’snothingwrongwithit.Youcanrubtheirheadsandthey’reevengladyoudidit.Butifyoutriedrubbingtheirheadsinthemiddleofthestreet—ifyoudon’tthinkthere’dbetrouble,justtryitandsee!Thisisbecauseofclinging.SoI’veseenthatlettinggoisreallycomfortable.Whentheyagreetohavingtheirheadstouched,they’vesupposedthatthere’snothingwrongwithit.Andthereisnothingwrongwithit,justlikerubbingaheadofcabbageoraheadoflettuce.Butifyourubbedtheirheadsinthemiddleoftheroad—noway!Forsure.

It’sallamatterofwillingness—accepting,givingup,lettinggo.Whenyoucandothis,thingsarelight.Whereveryou’reclinging,there’sbecomingrightthere,birthrightthere,poisonanddangerrightthere.TheBuddhataughtaboutsuppositionsandhetaughttoundosuppositionsintherightway,toturnthemintorelease.Don’tclingtothem.

Thethingsthatariseintheworldareallsuppositions.That’showtheycomeinto

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being.Whenthey’vearisenandbeensupposed,weshouldn’tfallforthem,forthatleadstosuffering.Theaffairsofsuppositionandconventionareextremelyimportant.Whoevercanletthemgoisfreefromsuffering.

Butthey’reanactivityofthisworldofours.TakeBoonmaa,forinstance.He’stheDistrictCommissioner.Hisoldfriend,Saengchai,isn’tadistrictcommissioner,butthey’vebeenfriendsfromwayback.NowthatBoonmaahasbeenappointeddistrictcommissioner,there’sasuppositionrightthere,butyouhavetoknowhowtouseitinanappropriateway,becausewestillliveintheworld.IfSaengchaigoestothedistrictofficesandpatsBoonmaaonthehead,it’snotright.EvenifSaengchaithinksaboutalltheoldtimeswhentheyworkedtogetherastravelingtailorsandaboutthattimetheyalmostdied,it’sstillnotrightforhimtogoplayingaroundwithBoonmaa’sheadinfrontofotherpeople.Youhavetoshowalittlerespectandactinlinewithoursocialsuppositions.Onlythencanwelivetogetherinpeace.Nomatterhowlongyou’vebeenfriends,he’snowthedistrictcommissioner.Youhavetoshowhimsomedeference.

Whenheleavesthedistrictofficesandgoeshome,that’swhenyoucanpathimonthehead.It’sstillthedistrictcommissioner’sheadyou’repatting,butifyouweretodoitinthegovernmentofficesinfrontofalotofpeople,it’dbewrongforsure.Thisiscalledshowingrespect.Ifyouknowhowtousesuppositionsinthisway,theyserveapurpose.Nomatterhowlongyou’vebeenclosefriends,ifyoutouchhimontheheadinfrontofalotofpeople,he’ssuretogetangry—afterall,he’snowthedistrictcommissioner.Thisisallthereistoourbehaviorintheworld:Youneedasenseoftimeandplace,andofthepeopleyou’rewith.

Sowe’retaughttobeintelligent,tohaveasenseofsuppositionsandasenseofrelease.Understandthemwhenyouusethem.Ifyouusethemproperly,there’snoproblem.Ifyoudon’tusethemproperly,it’soffensive.Whatdoesitoffend?Itoffendspeople’sdefilements,that’sall—becausepeoplelivewithdefilement.Therearesuppositionsyouhavetofollowwithcertaingroups,certainpeople,atcertaintimesandplaces.Ifyoufollowthemappropriately,youcanbesaidtobesmart.Youhavetoknowwherethesethingscomefromandhowfartheylead.Wehavetolivewithsuppositions,butwesufferwhenweclingtothem.Ifyouunderstandsuppositionssimplyassuppositionsandexplorethemuntilyoucometorelease,therearenoproblems.

AsI’veoftensaid,beforewewerelaymenandnowwe’remonks.Beforeweweresupposedtobelaymenbutnow,havinggonethroughtheordinationchant,we’resupposedtobemonks.Butwe’remonksonthelevelofsupposition,notgenuinemonks,notmonksonthelevelofrelease.Ifwepracticesothatourmindsarereleasedfromalltheirfermentations(āsava)stepbystep,asstream-winners,once-returners,non-returners,allthewaytoarahantship,thenallourdefilementswillbeabandoned.Evenwhenwesaythatsomeoneisanarahant,that’sjustasupposition—buthe’sa

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genuinemonk.Inthebeginningwestartwithsuppositionslikethis.Intheordinationceremony

theyagreetocallyoua“monk,”butdoesthatmeanyousuddenlyabandonyourdefilements?No.It’slikesalt.Supposeyoutakeafistfulofsandandsay,“Let’ssupposethisissalt.”Isitsalt?Yes,butit’ssaltonlyonthelevelofsupposing.It’snotgenuinesalt.Ifyouweretoputitintoacurry,itwouldn’tserveyourpurpose.Ifyouweretoarguethatit’sgenuinesalt,theanswerwouldhavetobeNo.That’swhat’smeantbysupposition.

Whydowemakethissupposition?Becausethere’snosaltthere.There’sonlysand.Ifyousupposesandtobesalt,it’dbesaltforyou,onthelevelofsupposing.Butit’snotgenuinesalt,forit’snotsalty.Itwon’tserveanypurpose—oritcanservesomepurposesonthelevelofsupposing,butnotonthelevelofrelease.

Theword“release”:It’sasuppositiontocallitthat,butwhatreleaseactuallyis,liesbeyondsupposition.It’sreleasedfromsuppositions—butwestillmakeasuppositiontosayit’s“release”likethis.Canwelivewithoutsuppositions?No.Ifwedidn’thavesuppositions,wewouldn’tknowhowtotalkwithoneanother.Wewouldn’tknowwherethingscomefromandhowfartheygo.Wewouldn’thaveanylanguagetospeakwithoneanother.

Sosuppositionshavetheirpurposes—thepurposeswe’resupposedtousethemfor.Forexample,peoplehavedifferentnames,eventhoughthey’reallpeoplejustthesame.Ifwedidn’thavenames,youwouldn’tknowhowtocallthepersonyouwanted.Forinstance,ifyouwantedtocallacertainpersoninacrowdandsaid,“Person!Person!”thatwouldbeuseless.Noonewouldanswer,becausethey’reall“person.”Butifyoucalled,“Jan!Comehere!”thenJanwouldcome.Theotherswouldn’thaveto.Thisishowsuppositionsserveapurpose.Thingsgetaccomplished.Sotherearewaysforustotrainourselvesthatarisefromsuppositions.

Ifweknowbothsuppositionandreleaseintheproperway,wecangetalong.Suppositionshavetheiruses,butinrealitythereisn’tanythingthere.Thereisn’tevenapersonthere!There’sjustasetofnaturalconditions,bornoftheircausalfactors.Theydevelopindependenceontheircausalfactors,stayforawhile,andbeforelongtheyfallapart.Youcan’tstopthatfromhappening.Youcan’treallycontrolit.That’sallthereis.It’sjustasupposition,butwithoutsuppositionswe’dhavenothingtosay:nonames,nopractice,nowork,nolanguage.Suppositionsandconventionsareestablishedtogiveusalanguage,tomakethingsconvenient,that’sall.

Takemoney,forexample.Inthepasttherewasn’tanypapermoney.Paperwasjustpaper,withoutanyvalue.Thenpeopledecidedthatsilvermoneywashardtostore,sotheyturnedpaperintomoney.Andsoitservesasmoney.Maybesomedayinthefutureanewkingwillarisewhodoesn’tlikepapermoney.He’llhaveususewaxdroppingsinstead—takesealingwax,meltit,stampitintolumps,andsupposeittobe

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money.We’llbeusingwaxdroppingsalloverthecountry,gettingintodebtallbecauseofwaxdroppings.Letalonewaxdroppings,wecouldtakechickendroppingsandturnthemintomoney!Itcouldhappen.Allourchickendroppingswouldbecash.We’dbefightingandkillingoneanotheroverchickendroppings.

Evenwhentheyproposenewformsforthings,ifeverybodyagreestothenewsupposition,itworks.Asforthesilverwestartedoutwith,nobodyreallyknowswhatitis.Theorewecallsilver:Isitreallysilver?Nobodyknows.Somebodysawwhatitwaslike,cameupwiththesuppositionof“silver,”andthat’swhatitwas.That’sallthereistotheaffairsoftheworld.Wesupposesomethingintobeing,andthat’swhatitis—becausethesethingsdependonoursuppositions.Buttoturnthesethingsintorelease,togetpeopletoknowgenuinerelease:That’shard.

Ourhomes,ourmoney,ourpossessions,ourfamily,ourchildren,ourrelativesareourssimplyonthelevelofsupposing.Butactually,ontheleveloftheDhamma,they’renotreallyours.Wedon’tliketohearthis,butthat’sthewaytheyactuallyare.Ifwedon’thaveanysuppositionsaroundthem,theyhavenovalue.Orifwesupposethemtohavenovalue,theyhavenovalue.Butifwesupposethemtohavevalue,theydohavevalue.Thisisthewaythingsare.Thesesuppositionsaregoodifweknowhowtousethem.Solearnhowtousethem.

Eventhisbodyofoursisn’treallyus.That’sasupposition.Ifyoutrytofindagenuineselfwithinit,youcan’t.Therearejustelementsthatareborn,continueforawhile,andthendie.Everythingislikethis.There’snoreal,truesubstancetoit,butit’sproperthatwehavetouseit.

Forexample,whatdoweneedtostayalive?Weneedfood.Ifourlifedependsonfoodasitsnourishment,asasupportweneedtouse,thenweshoulduseittoachieveitspurposeforoursurvival,inthesamewaytheBuddhataughtnewmonks.Rightfromtheverybeginning,hetaughtthefoursupports:clothing,food,shelter,medicine.Hetaughtthatweshouldcontemplatethesethings.Ifwedon’tcontemplatetheminthemorning,weshouldcontemplatethemintheeveningafterwe’veusedthem.

Whydoeshehaveuscontemplatethemsooften?Torealizethatthey’refoursupportstomaintainourbody.Aslongaswe’realivewecan’tescapethesethings.“You’llusethesethingsallyourlife,”hesaid,“butdon’tfallforthem.Don’tfallforthem.They’renothingmorethanthis;theygiveusnothingmorethanthis.”

Ifwelackedanyoneofthesethings,wecouldn’tmeditate,couldn’tchant,couldn’tcontemplate.Forthetimebeing,wehavetodependonthesethings,butdon’tgetattachedtothem.Don’tfallforthesuppositionthatthey’reyours.They’resupportsforkeepingyoualive.Whenthetimecomes,you’llhavetogivethemup.Inthemeantime,though,eventhoughtheideathatthey’reyoursisjustasupposition,youhavetotakecareofthem.Ifyoudon’ttakecareofthem,yousuffer.Likeacup,

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forinstance.Somedayinthefuturethecupwillhavetobreak.Ifitbreaks,nobigdeal—butaslongasyou’realiveyoushouldtakegoodcareofitbecauseit’syourutensil.Ifitbreaks,you’llbeinconvenienced.Ifit’sgoingtobreak,letitbreakinawaythatcan’tbehelped.

Thesamegoesforthefoursupportsthatwe’retaughttocontemplate.They’rerequisitesforthosewho’vegoneforth.Understandthembutdon’tclingtothemtothepointwheretheclingingbecomesabiglumpofcravinganddefilementintheheartandmakesyousuffer.Usethemjustforthepurposeofkeepingalive,andthat’senough.

Suppositionsandreleasearerelatedlikethiscontinually.Eventhoughweusesuppositions,don’tplaceyourtrustintheirbeingtrue.They’retrueonlyonthelevelofsupposing.Ifyouclingtothem,sufferingwillarisebecauseyoudon’tunderstandtheminlinewithwhattheyreallyare.

Thesameholdsforissuesofrightandwrong.Somepeopleseewrongasrightandrightaswrong,butwhoserightandwrongtheyare,nobodyknows.Differentpeoplemakedifferentsuppositionsaboutwhat’srightandwrongwitheveryissue,sobeaware.TheBuddhawasafraidthatitwouldleadtosufferingifwegotintoarguments,becauseissuesofthissortnevercometoclosure.Onepersonsays,“right,”anothersays,“wrong.”Onesays“wrong,”anothersays“right.”Butactuallywedon’treallyknowrightandwrongatall.Allweneedistolearnhowtousethemforourcomfort,sothatwecanputthemtoworkinaproperway.Don’tletthemharmyouorharmothers.Keepthingsneutralinthisway.Thatservesourpurposes.

Inshort,bothsuppositionsandreleasearesimplydhammas.Oneishigherthantheother,butthey’resynonyms.There’snowaywecanguaranteeforsurethatthishastobethis,orthathastobethat,sotheBuddhasaidtojustputitdownas“notforsure.”Nomatterhowmuchyoulikesomething,knowthatit’snotforsure.Nomatterhowmuchyoudislikesomething,understandthatit’snotforsure.Andthesethingsreallyaren’tforsure.Keeppracticinguntilthey’redhammas.

Past,present,andfuture:MakethemallanaffairofDhammapractice.Anditcomestoclosureatthepointwherethere’snothingmore.You’veletgo.You’veputdownyourburden.Everythingends.

I’llgiveyouananalogy.Onepersonasks,“Whyistheflagflapping?Itmustbebecausethere’swind.”Anotherpersonsays,“It’sflappingbecausethere’saflag.”Thissortofthingnevercomestoanend,liketheoldriddle,“Whichcamefirst,thechickenortheegg?”Thisnevercomestoanend.Itjustkeepsspinningaroundinitscircles.

Allthesethingsaresimplysuppositions.Theyarisefromoursupposing.Soyouhavetounderstandsuppositionsandconventions.Ifyouunderstandthesethings,you’llunderstandinconstancy,stress,andnot-self.Thisisathemethatleadsstraighttonibbāna.

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Trainingandteachingpeopletounderstandisreallyhard,youknow.Somepeoplehavetheiropinions.YoutellthemsomethingandtheysayNo.Nomatterhowmuchyoutellthemthetruth,theysayNo.“I’lltakewhat’srightforme;youtakewhat’srightforyou.”There’snoendtothis.Evenifitmakesthemsuffer,theystillwon’tletgo.

I’vetoldyoubeforeaboutthefourmenwhogointotheforest.Theyhearachickencrowing,“Ekkk-i-ekk-ekkkk!”Oneofthemcomesupwiththequestion,“Whosaysthat’saroostercrowing?Whosaysit’sahen?”Forthefunofit,threeofthemputtheirheadstogetherandsayit’sahen.Theotheronesaysit’sarooster.Theyarguebackandforthlikethiswithoutstopping.Threeofthemsayit’sahen,andonlyoneofthemsaysit’sarooster.“Howcouldahencrowlikethat?”heasks.“Well,it’sgotamouth,doesn’tit?”theyreply.Theonepersonarguesuntilhe’sintears.Actually,itwasaroostercrowing,inlinewithourstandardsuppositions,buttheonepersonhadtoargueuntilhewasintears,hewassoupset.Yetontheultimateleveltheywereallwrong.

Thewords“rooster”and“hen”arejustsuppositions.Ifyouaskedthechicken,“Areyouarooster?”itwouldn’tanswer.Ifyouasked,“Areyouahen?”itwouldn’tgiveanyexplanation.Butwehaveourconventions:Thesefeaturesarethefeaturesofarooster;thesefeatures,thefeaturesofahen.Therooster’scrowislikethis;ahen’ssquawkislikethat.Thesearesuppositionsthatarestuckinourworld.Butintruththere’snorooster,nohen.Tospeakontheleveloftheworld’ssuppositions,theonepersonwasright,buttoargueuntilyou’reintearsdoesn’tserveanypurposeatall.That’sallthereistoit.

SotheBuddhataughtnottoclingtothings.Ifwedon’tclingtothings,howcanwepractice?Wepracticebecauseofnot-clinging.Tobringyourdiscernmentinhereishard.Thisiswhyit’shardnottocling.Youneedtousesharpdiscernmenttocontemplatethis.Onlythenwillyougetanywhere.

Whenyouthinkaboutit,forthesakeofrelievingsuffering,itdoesn’tdependonwhetheryouhavealotofthingsoralittle.Whetheryou’rehappyorsad,contentordiscontent,itstartsfromyourdiscernment.Togobeyondsufferingdependsondiscernment,seeingthingsinlinewiththeirtruth.

TheBuddhataughtustotrainourselves,tocontemplate,tomeditate.“Meditation”meansundoingtheseproblemscorrectlyinlinewiththeirissues.Andtheirissuesarethese:theissuesofbirth,aging,illness,anddeath.Thesearecommon,ordinarythings—reallycommonandordinary.Thisiswhyhehasuscontemplatethemcontinually.Hehasusmeditateonbirth,aging,illness,anddeath.Somepeopledon’tunderstandwhywehavetocontemplatethem.“Birth?Wealreadyknowwe’reborn,”theysay.“Death?Wealreadyknowwe’lldie.”That’sthepoint.They’resuchordinaryissues—sotrue.

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Apersonwhoinvestigatesthesethingsagainandagainwillsee.Whenyousee,youcangraduallyundotheseproblems.Althoughyoumaystillhavesomeclinging,ifyouhavethediscernmenttoseethatthesethingsareordinary,you’llbeabletorelievesuffering.Thisiswhywepracticeforthesakeofundoingsuffering.

ThebasicprinciplesoftheBuddha’steachingaren’tmuch:justtheissuesofsufferingarisingandsufferingpassingaway.That’swhythesethingsarecallednobletruths.Ifyoudon’tknowthem,yousuffer.Ifyouarguefromprideandopinions,there’snoendtoit.Togetthemindtorelieveitssufferingandbeatease,youhavetocontemplatewhat’shappenedinthepast,what’sinthepresent,what’sgoingtobeinthefuture.Thingslikebirth,aging,illness,anddeath:Whatcanyoudonottobeworriedaboutthem?Therewillbesomeworries,butifyoucanlearntounderstandthemforwhattheyare,sufferingwillgraduallylessen,becauseyoudon’thugittoyourchest.

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InBody&Mind

OnAugust23,1978,SanyaDhammasak,theChiefPrivyCouncilor,alongwithhisfamily,visitedWatNongPaPongtopayrespecttoVen.AjahnChah.InthemidstoftheirDhammaconversation,AjahnChahgaveaDhammatalkthatistranscribedandtranslatedhere.

…STARTwhenthesethingsarestillfaraway.Doyourdutywhenthey’restillfaraway.

Yes,sir.It’slikeapoisonoussnake.Ifweseeitfromfaraway,we’renotafraidofit.Even

thoughit’spoisonous,we’renotafraidofitbecauseweseeitfirst.Butifyourunintoitwhenyoudon’thaveenoughtimetothink…It’sthesamewithfeelings.Youhavetokeeponcontemplating,keeponmeditatingsothatyoucandestroythem.Youhavetostartwhenthey’restillfaraway,andkeeponcontemplating.

Thismeansthatyouhavetostartbeforethere’safeeling,ordoyoustartwhenthefeeling’salreadythere?

No.No.Beforethere’safeeling.Beforethere’safeeling.Kindoflikerecollectionofdeath.Yes.That’sright.Wekeeponthinkingaboutdeath.Butrecollectionofdeathandfeelingsarenotthesame.They’renotthesame.

Whendeathcomes,yousimplydie.Butwiththesefeelings,theyfightyou.Theyattackyouallofasudden;they’refightingyourightnow.You’reshootingateachother.Withrecollectionofdeath,you’realreadydead.

Ifthere’sareallystrongfeeling,andwe…Regardlessofhowfaritgoes,itdoesn’tmatter.Orregardlessofwhichdirectionit

comesfrom,focusonthebodyandthemind.Focusonthesetwothings,andeverythingelsegathersrightthere.Foryourpracticetobecorrect,foryoutoknowallthethingsthatarerightandwrong,ithastocomedowntothebodyandthemind.Thebodyandthemindarewhatleadustopleasureortopain.They’reconnectedlikethelinksinachain.

Thisiswhythepracticeissoextremelyimportant.It’sthiswaywitheverything:If

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we’veknownorseensomethingbutdon’tpracticewithit,it’slikegettingjusttherind.Supposewe’vebeengivenafruit:Whetherit’ssourorsweet,ifoncewegetitwedon’tpracticewithit,ifwejustholdit,wedon’tknowhowsourorsweetitis.Whenwe’rejustholdingitwithinourhand,canourhandsensethesourness?No,itcan’t.Canitsensethesweetness?No,itcan’t.Eventhoughwe’reholdingitinourhand,wedon’tgetmuchbenefitfromit.We’veonlyheardthatit’ssourorheardthatit’ssweet.Wesimplyholditinourhand,sowedon’tgetthefullbenefitsfromit.Whyisthat?Becausewehaven’tyetpracticedwithit—inotherwords,wehaven’tyeteatenittothepointofknowingitstaste.

Butoncewe’veeatenthefruit,thefruitwillshowusitssournessorsweetness,itsdeliciousness.Onlythenwillweknow.Onceweknowinthisway,webecomeasakkhībhūto:Webecomeourownwitness.Aslongaswedon’tknowforourselves,wehaveonlyoutsidewitnesses:thepeoplewhogaveusthefruit.Theysayit’ssour,theysayit’ssweet,butwehaven’tbecomeasakkhībhūto.Theknowledgeisn’treallyourown.Wesimplybelievewhatotherpeoplesay.

TheBuddhasaidthathedidn’tpraisethosewhosimplybelievewhatotherpeoplesay.Hepraisedthosewhoknewpaccattaṁ:personally,forthemselves.It’slikethefruit:Ifyou’vetastedthefruitforyourself,youdon’thavetogoaskingotherpeoplewhetherit’ssourorsweet.Theproblemisover.Whyisitover?Becauseyouknowinlinewiththetruth.Youknowthetruth.Theproblemisover.There’snomoredifficulty.Whentheproblemisover,that’stheendofthematter.Whyisittheend?You’vereachedthetruth;youknowitthoroughly,andyourdoubtsareended.Yourdoubtsareendedastowhetherit’ssourorsweet.ThisiswhatitmeanstoknowtheDhamma,toreachtheDhamma:You’reapersonwho’sreachedthesournessorsweetnessofthefruit.Theproblemisendedinthisway.Thisiswhatwecancompareitto.

TolistentotheDhammasoastogiverisetoknowledgewithinyou—Youcouldsaythattherearelotsofthingstoexplain,buttheBuddhahasusknowjustfourthings:Hehasusknowstress(dukkha),knowthecauseofstress,knowthedisbandingofstress,andknowthepathofpracticeleadingtothedisbandingofstress.That’sallthereis.Allthethingswepracticecomedowntothesethings:toknowstress,toknowthecauseofstress,toknowthedisbandingofstress,andtoknowthepathofpracticeleadingtothedisbandingofstress.Whenyouknowthesefourthings,that’sallthereistoit—foryoureallyknowstress,youknowitscause,youknowitsdisbanding,andyouknowthepathofpracticeleadingtoitsdisbanding.Whenyouknowthesefourthingsclearlyandthoroughly,that’scalledtheendoftheproblem.

Wheredothesefourthingsarise?Theyariseintwothings:inthisbodyandmind,that’sall.Theydon’tlieanywherefaraway.It’slikeallofyouwho’vecometoday:Eachofyouhasbroughtacompletebodyandmindhere.SowhydidtheBuddhaanalyze

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theDhammasobroadly?Soastoexplainthesethingsindetail,inalltheirparts,sothatwecantakethemandfocusonknowingthem.

Forexample,withthebody,hetoldustobreakitdowntohairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin—allkindsofthings.Hetoldustoanalyzeitintoitsdifferentpartssothatwecanbeadeptatseeingthebodyinlinewiththetruthoftheseconditions.Ifwedon’tknowinlinewiththetruth,wewon’tknowstress,itscause,itsdisbanding,andthepathofpracticeleadingtoitsdisbanding.Whenwedon’tknowthesethings,wewon’tknowthestepsofthepractice.

SowhenyoulistentotheDhammahereinthepresent,it’sjustforyoutogiverisetothediscernmentthatknowsthesefourthings.Allfourofthesethingsariserightatyourownbodyandmind.That’swhytheBuddhataughttheDhamma.WhereistheDhamma?TheBuddhasaidthattheDhammaiseverywhere.There’snowherethatdoesn’thaveDhamma.TheDhammaisineveryplace.PhysicalthingsareDhamma.MentaleventsareDhamma.Whenthisisthecase,youhavetounderstandthatwe’reallbornintotheDhamma.We’rerightnexttotheDhammaatalltimes.

Whenweunderstandinthisway,thenwe’llunderstandfurtherthatwe’renotatallfarfromtheBuddha.We’realreadyrightnexttotheBuddha.Sowhydon’tweseehim?Becausewe’renotespeciallyinterestedinpracticing.TheDhammaistheBuddha;theBuddhaistheDhamma.TheBuddhatoldVen.Ānanda:“Pursuethepracticealot,Ānanda;cultivatethepracticealot.WhoeverseesmeseestheDhamma;whoeverseestheDhammaseesme.”Thatshowsthatwe’renotfarfromtheBuddha,notfarfromtheDhamma.WhoeverseestheDhammaseestheBuddha;whoeverseestheBuddhaseestheDhamma.Whichmeansthatwe’renotfaraway—fortheBuddhaistheDhamma;theDhammaistheBuddha.

WhenPrinceSiddharthawasfirstbornintotheworld,hewasn’tyettheBuddhabecauseatthatpointhehadn’tyetawakenedtotheDhamma.Hewasanordinaryunenlightenedpersonjustlikeus.Itwasonlywhenhecametoknowthethingsthatheneededtoknow—thenobletruthsofstress,thecauseofstress,thedisbandingofstress,andthepathofpracticeleadingtothedisbandingofstress—that’swhenhepracticedandreachedtheDhamma.OnlythendidhecallhimselftheBuddha.

Forthatreason,whenwereachtheDhamma—whereverweare—weknowtheDhamma.WhenweknowtheDhamma,weheartheBuddhateachingus,weheartheDhammarightthere.WhenweunderstandtheDhamma,theBuddhaisinourheart.TheDhammaisinourheart.Thepracticesthatgiverisetointelligenceareinourheart.We’vepracticedwithourbody,speech,andmind.

[Breakintherecording]

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When,aswesay,theBuddha,Dhamma,andSaṅghaareinourheart,we’refullyconvincedthatwhereverwedogoodorevil,it’sallamatterofthetruth.Whereverwedogood,evenifotherpeopledon’tsee,evenifnobodypraisesus,orifotherpeoplecriticizeus,itdoesn’tmatter.Ouractioniscorrect.Weseethatitscorrectnessisinlinewiththetruth,thetruththattheBuddhasaidwastrue.

That’swhytheBuddhacasttheworldaside:Hecastasidepraise;hecastasidecriticism.Whoevercriticizedhim,heacceptedthatthat’sthewaythingsare.Whoeverpraisedhim,heaccepted,“Oh.That’sthewaythingsare”—forbothofthesethingsarejustanaffairoftheworld.Hismindwasn’tshaken.Why?Becauseheunderstoodstress.Bothofthesethings,ifhebelievedthem,wouldgiverisetostress.

That’sthewayitiswithstress:Themindisagitated.It’sillatease.It’sinaturmoil.Whetheryou’resitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown,there’snothingbutagitation.That’sstress.

What’sthecausethatgivesrisetostress?Notknowingthingsinlinewiththeirtruth.That’swhystressarises.Andwhenitcausesstresstoarise,wedon’tknowhowtoputastoptothatstress.Themorewetrytoputanendtoit—“Don’tyellatme!Don’tbejealousofme!”—themorethestressgrowswithoutstop.“Don’tdothattome!Don’tsaythataboutme!Don’tcriticizeme!”Thestresssimplygetsprovokedevenmoreandmore.

TheBuddhaknewthewaytopracticethatleadstothedisbandingofstress—inotherwords,toadmitthistruthintoourminds,thatthisisthewaythingsreallyare.Allthosethingsareexternalmatters,notinternalmatters.Thetruthofwhatwedo,ofwhatwesay,ofwhatweintend,nobodyelseknows.Onlyweknowitinourownminds.

Sowhenweknowhowtobecomesakkhībhūto,whenwe’reourownwitness,theBuddhapraisesus.Whenpeoplesaidhewasgood,hedidn’tgetcarriedaway.Whentheysaidhewasevil,hedidn’tforgethimself.Hewasindependentinthatway.

Goodandevilareanaffairoftheworld.Whenthey’reanaffairoftheworld,they’rejustapreoccupation.If,whenwe’restruckbypreoccupations,we’reshakenbypreoccupations,themindbecomesaworld.Itkeepsgraspingallthetime.Thisiscallednotknowingthepathofpracticeleadingtothedisbandingofstress—whichdoesnothingbutprovokeevenmorestress.

Soifthisisthewayweunderstandthings,itmeanswehaven’tyetwonoutoverourselves.Westillprefertowinoutoverotherpeople—andsowejustloseouttoourselves.Butwhenwewinoutoverourselves,wewinoutnotonlyoverourselvesbutalsooverotherpeople;wewinoutoverpreoccupations;wewinoutoversights,sounds,smells,tastes,tactilesensations.

HereI’mtalkingaboutthingsoutside.Butwecantakethingsoutsideandapplytheminsideaswell.Wecanapplytheminsideaswell.

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Somepeopleknowoutsidethingsbutdon’tknowthingsinside.Forexample,theBuddhaspokeaphrasetellingusto“seethebodyinthebody.”It’snotenoughtoknowthebody.Wehavetoknowthebodyinthebodyaswell.Wehavetocontemplatethebody,andthencontemplatethebodyinthebody.Wehavetocontemplatethemind,andcontemplatethemindinthemind,too.Ifwe’reastrangertomeditation,westoprightthere.We’reatalosstounderstandthisphrase.Whyknowthebody?What’sthebodyinthebody?Andwhenwe’retoldtoknowthemind,whatisthatmind?Whatarethethingsinthemind?Wedon’tunderstandatall—becausewe’renotacquaintedwithstress,thecauseofstress,thedisbandingofstress,orthepathofpracticeleadingtothedisbandingofstress.Wedon’tputanendtothethingsthatwouldputanendtostress.We’resimplytooobsessedwiththethingsthatdon’tgiveriseto…withthingsthatdon’titch.

It’slikefeelinganitchhereonyourheadbutscratchingdownthereonyourleg.Youmisstherightspot.Youthinkthatyou’llmakeitfeelbetter,soyouscratchyourleg,eventhoughtheitchisontopofyourhead.Thisiscallednotbeingacquaintedwiththespotthat’lldoawaywiththeitch,andsoitdoesn’twork.It’sthesamewhenstressarisesandyoudon’tknowenoughtoputastoptoit.Youdon’tknowthepathofpracticeleadingtoitsdisbanding.Thissortofthingiswhatputsusataloss—becausewedon’trealizethatwe’refocusedontheoutside.

Form,feeling,perception,fabricationsinside…Likethesebodiesofours,thesebodiesthataresittinggatheredtogetherhere,thatwecanseewithoureyes:Wecallthesethings“bodies.”Ifallweseeistheoutsideformofthebody,we’resaidtoseeonlytheblatantbody.Seeingjustthiswon’tbeenoughtoputanendtostressortothecauseofstressatall.Why?Becausewedon’tseetheinsideofthebody.Allweseeistheoutsideofthebody.We’llseethatit’sbeautiful,somethingofessenceorvalue—allkindsofthings.ButtheBuddhasaidthatseeingonlythisfarisn’tenough,seeingtheoutsidelikethiswiththeeyesoftheflesh.Evenchildrencanseeit.Evenanimalscanseeit.It’snothard.Butassoonasweseeit,wegetstuckonit.Weseeit,butwedon’tknowit.Weseeit,wepounceonit,anditbitesus.That’sthewayitis.

Thisiswhywe’retoldtocontemplatethebodyinthebody,toseewhat’sinthebody.Explorearoundtoseewhat’sthereinthebody.Whenweseejusttheoutsideofthebody,it’snotyetclear.Weseehairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,whatever,andthey’reallbeautiful.Thesearedyesthatstaintheheart.That’swhytheBuddhasaidthatwedon’tseeclearly,wedon’tseethebodyclearly.Thisiswhyhehasuslookinsidetoseethebodyinthebody.

Solooktoseewhatthereisinthebodyinthebody—insidetherindofthisflesh-and-skinbodyhere.Whatisthere?Contemplatecarefully,probeonin,andyou’llseethatthereareallkindsofthingsinthisbodythatwehumanbeings,whenweseethem,find—startling.Ifweexplorewe’llfindthatit’sallstartlingbecausethereare

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thingseveninyourownbodythatyou’veneverseenbefore.Youhaulthemaroundwithyoueverywhereyouwalk.Whenyougetinacar,youhaulthemintothecar,butyouhavenoideawhattheyare,becausethey’reallwrappeduplikeapresent.It’sasifwe’vegonetoourrelatives’houseandtheygiveusapresentallnicelywrapped.Wetakeit,putitinourbasket,andwalkrighthome.Wedon’tstoptoopenittoseewhat’sinside.Whenwefinallyopenit,wefind,“Oh.It’snothingbutpoisonoussnakes.”

Ourbodyislikethat.Weseejusttheoutsiderindanditlooksbeautiful,itlookspretty,itlooksallkindsofthingstothepointwhereweforgetourselves,forgetinconstancy,forgetstress,forgetnot-self,forgeteverything.Weforgettoopenitup.Butifwelookinside,we’llseethatit’snothingyou’dwanttolookat—thisbodyofours.Ifyouputanythingcleanintoit,itjustgetsdirty.

Theoutsideofthebodyisdirtyinitsway;theinsideofthebodyisdirtyinitsway,too.What’sinsidethebodyisevenworse.Solookinside.What’sitlikeinthisbodyofours?

Ifyoulookinlinewiththetruth,inlinewiththenobletruthswithoutsidingwithyourself,thenwhetheryoulookattheoutsideofthebodyortheinsideofthebody—lookatit;it’sreallyworthlookingat—you’llseethatit’senoughtogetyoudismayed,enoughtogetyoudisillusioned,enoughtogetyoudis-…allkindsofthings.It’senoughtogiverisetodisenchantment.

Theword“disenchantment,”here,doesn’tmeanthatyougohatingitorgettingangryatit,youknow.It’ssimplyaclearingup:theclearingupofthemind,itslettinggo.Weseethatthere’snotmuchofvalueoressencehere.Weseeallthesethingssimplyasnatural,normal.Andthat’sthewaytheystayoftheirownaccord.Nomatterwhatwewantthemtobe,that’ssimplythewaytheystayoftheirownaccord.Whetherwecryoverthemorlaughaboutthem,that’swhatthesefabricationsarelike.Thethingsthataren’tconstantaren’tconstant.Thethingsthataren’tbeautifularen’tbeautiful.That’sthewaytheyare.Whetheranyoneknowsaboutthemordoesn’tknowaboutthem,that’sjustthewaytheyareoftheirownaccord.

ThisiswhytheBuddhasaidthatwhensights,sounds,smells,tastes,tactilesensations,orideasarise,weshouldsimplyletthemgo.Whentheeyeseesasight,letitgobacktoitshome.Whentheearhearsasound,letitgo.Whenthenosesmellsanaroma,letitgo.Letjustthenosestay.Whenaflavorarisesatthetongue,letitgo.Whenatactilesensationmakescontactwiththebody,whetherit’ssomethingyoulikeordon’tlike,letitgo.Letthesethingsgobacktowheretheycamefrom.Whenanideaarisesandmakescontactatthemind—withoutanycontactfromoutside,itjustmakescontactrightatthemind,it’scalledanideathatarisesatthemind.Whenyouhearsomethingrightnoworseesomethingrightnow,whatmakescontactatthemind:Whetherit’sskillfulorunskillful,letitgoinlinewithitsownaffairs.Whenwe

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knowallofthesethingsinthisway—whetherthey’repleasant,painful,orwhatever—whenweseethattheyallfallintothesamepattern,that’scalledmeditation.

Meditationmeansmakingtheheartstilland,whenit’sstill,makingitknow.Tomakeitstillortomakeitknow,wehavetopracticewithtwothings:thebodyandthemindrighthere,nothingelse.

Actually,allthethingsI’vementionedherearedifferentthings:sightsareonesortofthing,soundsareanothersort,smellsanothersort,flavorsanothersort,tactilesensationsanothersort,andideasanothersort.Eachofthesethingsisseparate,andtheBuddhahasusknowthemtoanalyzethem.Whenpleasurearises,it’scalledafeelingofpleasure.Whenpainarises,it’scalledafeelingofpain.Whetherit’spleasureorpain,hehasusseparatethemfromthemind.

Themindisawareness,whatknows.Feelingissimplyaconditionofpleasureorpainthatwelikeordislike,thatsortofthing.Whenthemindentersintofeedontheseconditions,it’ssaidtoclingtothem,tolabelthem,ortomakeassumptionsaboutthepleasureorthepain.Theactoflabelingorassuming:That’sanaffairofthemind.Theconditionofpleasureorpain:That’saconditionoffeeling.Theawarenessisthemind.Thethingsthatarecalledpleasureorpainarethefeelings.Ifthey’repleasant,they’recalledfeelingsofpleasure.Ifthey’repainful,feelingsofpain.

TheBuddhatellsustoseparatethemindfromthefeelings.“Separating”heredoesn’tmeanthatwetearthemapartandthrowthemindifferentplaces.Themindhastoknowthepleasure;ithastoknowthepain—althoughtherearetimeswhenweseparatethembymakingthemindstill.Forexample,whenwebringthemindintofullconcentration,thenwhenthemindsensesthepleasureitseparatesitout.Becausethestillnessissooverflowing,thepleasurecan’tenterin.Anypaincan’tenterin.Thisishowthefeelingseparatesout.Aswhenwesitinconcentration:Ifthestillnesscomesfirstandthefeelingariseslater,thefeelingcan’tenterin.Themindisoblivioustoit.Thatmeansitdoesn’tknowthefeeling.Thefeelingseparatesoutonitsown.

Butatanyrate,thefeelingisthepleasure.Thepleasureiscalledafeelingofpleasure.Ifpainarises,it’scalledafeelingofpain.That’sthefeeling.Whenthemindsensesafeelingofpleasure,doweenterintoitandclingtoit?Whenafeelingofpainarises,doweenterintoitandclingtoit?We’llknowthatthemindislikethis,thepleasureislikethat,thepainislikethat,thefeelingislikethat.They’redifferentsortsofthings.

Youcancompareittowaterandoilmixedinabottle.They’reinthesamebottle,butthey’reinseparateparts.Theycanstayinthesamebottlebuttheydon’tpermeateeachother.Eventhoughthey’remixedtogether,theoilisoil,thewateriswater.Whyaretheylikethat?Theirdensityisdifferent.Theirdensityisdifferent,whichiswhytheystayseparate.

Thesamewiththemind.Ifthemindisatnormalcy,it’sneitherpleasantnor

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painful.It’sneitherpleasantnorpainful,youknow.Whenafeelingenters,pleasureandpaincomein.Ifwe’remindful,we’llknow:“Thisiscalledpleasure.”Thepleasureispleasant,butthemindknowsthatthepleasureisinconstant,soitdoesn’tclingtoit.Isthepleasurethere?It’srightthere,butthemindknowsitasoutsidethemind.It’snotburiedinthemind.Eventhen,though,themindknowsitclearly.Orwhenpainarises,canthemindseparatethefeelingout?Isitnotpained?Doesitnotrecognizethepain?Itknows.Itrecognizesthepain.Itrecognizesthepain.Butitknowsthatthemindisthemind,thefeelingisthefeeling,soitisn’tabletograbholdofthepainandcarryitaroundas“pain”…

[Breakintherecording]

[AnearlierThaitranscriptfillsinthisbreakwiththispassage:oras“thisispain.”Thisisbecauseitdoesn’tgrabholdofittomakeassumptionsaboutit.

TheBuddhaseparatedthingsoutwithawareness.Didhehaveanypain?Heknewtheconditionofpainbuthedidn’tmakeassumptionsaboutit.Whenheknewinthisway,wesaythatheseparatedthepainout,heseparatedthefeelingout.Didheknowordinarypleasure?Thepleasurewasthere,]

**…butheknewthatpleasureispoisonousifwedon’treallyknowit.Sohedidn’tassumepleasuretobehisortohaveanysubstance.Wastherepleasurethere?Itwastherethroughhisawareness,butitwasn’tthereinhismind.Thisishowweknowthatheseparatedpleasureandpainfromhismind,separatedfeelingsfromhismind,eventhoughthesethingsweretogetherrightthere.

It’sthesameaswhenwehearthatourBuddhaorournobleonescutthroughdefilementorkilleddefilement:It’snotactuallythecasethattheykilledoffalldefilement.Iftheyhadkilledoffalldefilement,therewouldn’tbeanydefilementleftforus,right?—becausetheykilledthemalloff.Buttheydidn’treallykilldefilement.Theysimplyknewdefilementsandletthemgoinlinewiththeirownaffairs.Sodefilementsarestillaroundtocatchholdofanyonewho’sstupid.It’snotthecasethatthenobleoneskilleddefilement.Theyknewspecificallyinthecaseoftheirownmindsthatthesethingsarepoisonoussotheybrushedtheirowndefilementsaway,brushedthemaway,brushedthemaway.Whateverthingsgaverisetostressintheirminds,theybrushedthemaway.Theydidn’tkillthedefilements.

Whoeverdoesn’tknowthatthesearethingsthatthenobleoneshavebrushedawaywillpounceonthem,right?“Ah.Thisissomethinggood.”ButactuallytheBuddhadiscardedthesethings.Likepleasure,forexample:Hebrusheditaway—yetweseeitand,“Hmmm,”wepounceonitandputitinourshoulderbag,thinkingwe’vegotsomethinggoodandit’sours.Actually,theBuddhadidn’tkillthesethings.

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Hewaswisetothem.Whenpleasurearose,heknewitwaspleasurebuthedidn’ttakepleasurefromit.Heknewthatthiswaspleasurebuthedidn’tassumethatthepleasurewassomethingofsubstance,hisoranyoneelse’s.That’showheletitgo.

Thesamewithpain:Whentherewaspain,hecalledit“feeling,”a“feelingofpain.”Whenpleasurearose,heknewit:“Thisisafeelingofpleasure.”Butasforus,evenbeforethere’safeelingwegointosavorit.Themindgoesintosavorit.Inotherwords,wegointocarrythepainaround,tocarrythepleasurearound.

Thetruthofthematteristhatfeelingsofpleasureandpainaresomethingdifferentfromthemind.It’slikewhenwe’resittinghereincomfortrightnow.Iftherewereapieceoflumberthatwe’dliketohave,we’dputitonourshoulderandit’dbeheavy.It’dbeheavy.Thepieceoflumberisthefeeling.Thepersonwhowantsthepieceoflumberisthemind.Whenyoupickupthelumbertocarryit,it’sheavy,isn’tit?Ofcourseit’sheavy.Butifyouhavediscernment,theneventhoughthepieceoflumberisheavy,youdon’thavetosufferfromit.Youknowenoughtoputitdown.Whenitfeelsreallyheavyonyou,youputitdown.Ifthepieceoflumberisreallygoodforsomething,andyouwanttotakeitandputittouse,thenifyouknowinthisway,it’snotsobad.Thelumberwon’tsquashyoutodeath.

It’sthesamewiththemind.Theconditionsofthemind—feelingsofpleasure,feelingsofpain,anythingthat’sapreoccupation—arepartoftheworld.Ifthemindknowsthis,thenyoucandoworkthat’spleasant,youcandoworkthat’spainful.Why?Becauseyouknowpleasureandpainforwhattheyreallyare.

Ifyou’renotreallyacquaintedwithpleasureandpain,you’llseethatpleasureandpainareondifferentlevels,thattheyhavedifferentprices.Butthosewhoknowsaythatpleasureandpainareequalinprice.They’reallequalinprice.Ifyougrabholdofpleasure,it’sasourceofstress.Stresswillarise.Why?Becausepleasureisinconstant.Itchangesbackandforth.Whenpleasuredisappears,painarises.Thatsortofthing.

TheBuddhasawthatpleasureandpainbothhavetheirdrawbacks,thatthey’reequalinprice.Whenpainarose,hesawitasbeingequaltopleasurearising.Whenpleasurearose,hesawitasbeingequaltopainarising.That’swhyheletgoofbothpleasureandpain—becauseallofthesethingswereequalinprice.

That’swhyhismindwasonthepathofrightpractice.Hesawthatthesethingswereequallystressful—equalintheirdrawbacks,equalintheirbenefits—forboththesethingsarenotforsure.TheyfallunderthecharacteristicsthattheDhammacallsinconstancybecausethey’restressful.Theyallariseanddisbandinthisway.WhentheBuddhasawthis,rightviewaroseaspartoftherightpath.Whetherhewassitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown;whateverthoughtsorfeelingsaroseinhismind,heknew:“Thisispleasure.Thisispain.”Equal.Allthetime.That’swhyhedidn’tgrabholdofthesethings.

RightafterourForemostTeacher’sawakeninghetaughtaboutindulgencein

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sensualpleasure(kamasukhallikānuyoga)andindulgenceinself-affliction(attakilamathānuyoga).Hetoldthemonksthatindulgenceinsensualpleasureistheslackpath;indulgenceinself-affliction,thetautpath.ThesetwothingshadharassedhimallalongthewayuntilthedayheawakenedtotheDhammabecausehehadn’tletthemgo.Assoonashecaughtontothispoint,though,heletthemgo.That’swhyhegavethefirstsermontohisdisciples,tellingthemthatindulgenceinsensualpleasure,clingingtothepleasureinsensuality,isnotapathforcontemplativestofollow.Whoeverthinksaboutit,whoevermullsitover,whoevermakesassumptionsaboutsensuality,getsintoalotofturmoil.There’snopeaceinthatpath.Thestateofatruecontemplativecan’tarisethere.Don’tfollowthatpath.

Asforindulgenceinself-affliction,thepaththat’scruelandtorturous:Don’tfollowthatpath.Nocontemplativeisfoundthere,either.Nopeaceisfoundthere.Notruecontemplativehaseverarisenthere.

Inotherwords,hesaidthatcontemplativesshouldn’tfollowthepathofeitherpleasureorpain.Whenpleasurearises,don’tforgetyourself.Whenpainarises,don’tfollowit.Bealerttoit.Whenpainarises,knowthatpainhasarisen.Whenyouknowpainandstress,you’llknowthecauseofstress,thedisbandingofstress,andthepathofpracticeleadingtothedisbandingofstress.Thatpathisourmeditation.

Toputitinsimpleterms,wehavetobemindful.Mindfulnessmeansbeingalertandrecollectingatalltimes:Aswe’resittinghererightnow,whatarewethinking?Whatarewedoing?Whatdowehaverightnow?We’realertinthisway.Wealwayskeepinmindhowweare.We’realerttowhatwehaverightnow,towhatwe’rethinkingabout,towhetherwe’refeelingpleasureorpain,towhetherwhatwe’redoingisrightorwrong.Whenwekeepthesetwoqualitiesofmindfulnessandalertnesstogetheratalltimes,discernmentcanarise.Wecanrecollect,wecanbealert,andthesethingsgorunningtowarddiscernment.Discernmentarises.Wetakethingsontoevaluateandcontemplate.Whetherwe’resitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown,we’realertlikethisatalltimes.We’llrecognizewhat’sright,what’swrong,what’sjustright,what’snotjustright.

Whenapreoccupationthatwelikearises,we’llrecognizeit—andwewon’tmakeassumptionsaboutit.It’sjustpleasure,that’sall.Whenpainarisesandweindulgeinself-affliction,wecanknow:“Oh.Thisisn’tthepathforacontemplative.”Soit’sjustpain,that’sall.Pleasureandpainarejust“that’sall”kindsofthings.Thisiscalledseparating—wecanseparatethemindandfeelingsfromeachother.Whatdoesthisisthemind.

Whenthefeaturesofpleasureariseandwelatchontothem,feelingarises.Regardlessofwhetherit’spleasureorpain,ifthemindisintelligent,wewon’tgrabontothesethings.We’llsimplyputthemaside.We’rejustaknower.Weknowthesethingsforwhattheyareandweletthemgoinlinewiththeircondition.It’slikeoil

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andwatermixedinabottle:Theydon’tpermeateeachother,eventhoughthey’reinthesamebottle.Thisisthewayitisbetweenthemindandfeelings.

Evenwhenwefallsick,wecanstillsensethatfeelingisfeelingandthemindisthemind.They’restilldifferentthings.Doweknowwhensomethinghurts?Yes.Doweknowwhenthingsarecomfortable?Yes—butwedon’tmoveintostayinthecomfortordiscomfort.Westayinthestillness.Whatkindofstillness?Stillnessundisturbedbythecomfort,stillnessundisturbedbythepain.TheBuddhapointedthisoutforustoseebecausethere’snosubstancetothesethings.There’snowayyoucanstayinthem.Themindhastostaythisway—inotherwords,nothavingpleasure,nothavingpain.Didheknowthattherewaspleasure?Heknew,buthedidn’tfeelpleasedorpainedbyit.Didheknowthattherewaspain?Heknew.Pleasure?Heknew—buthedidn’tcarryitaround,sonofeelingaroseinhismind.

Weordinary,unenlightenedpeoplemayseethisasstrange,buteventhoughwe’reunenlightened,don’tmakethatanissue.Aimstraightatthatspot,forthat’sthewaythingsare.Themindstaysinitsownterritory.Feelingsofpleasureandpainareintheirownterritory.Theydon’tgetinvolvedwithoneanother.That’sthewaytheyare.They’realreadyseparate.It’snotthecasethatthey’remixedtogether.Iftheyseemmixedtogether,it’sbecausewedon’tknowthemthoroughly.Actually,they’realreadyseparate.

It’sthesamewiththebodyandthemind.Eventhoughthey’retogetherhere,it’slikeourhouseandwewholiveinthehouse.They’rerelatedinthesameway.Ifthehouseisindanger,themindsuffersbecausewehavetolookafterit.Butifthehousecatchesonfire,wecanrunoutofit.Werunoutofthehouse.Thesamewithfeeling:Whenafeelingofpleasurearises,wecanrunoutofit.Whenafeelingofpainarises,wecanrunoutofit.We’reliketheownerofthehouse.Whenthingsgetreallyheavyandweknowinlinewiththetruth,thenwhenthehousecatchesonfire,wecanrunoutofit—forwe’retwoseparatethings.Oneistheowner;theotheristhehouse.That’sthenormalwaythesethingsalreadyare.

Soeventhoughwetalkaboutseparatingthemindfromthefeeling,they’reactuallyalreadyseparate.It’sjustthatwhenwecometoknowtheminlinewiththeirtruth,theyalreadyknowhowtoseparatethemselves.That’sthewaytheyalreadyarebytheirnature.Thereasonweseethemasnotseparateisbecauseweclingtothemthroughourignoranceofthetruth.Sothey’reglommedtogetherinthatway.They’reglommedtogether.

It’slikeaspoonweusetoeatcurry.Thecurryisonething.Thespoonissomethingelse.Ifweknowthatthisisthecurry,thisisthespoon,thenthingsareeasy.Weusethespoontoeatthecurryandthenweputitdown.It’seasy.Butifwetrytoeatthespoon,too,wemakethingshard.Ifwedon’tseethespoonasaspoon,thecurryascurry,thefeelingasafeeling,andthemindasthemind,thenthings

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simplygetallmixedup.Whenwerealizethis,thenthesethingscanseparateoutwhetherwe’resitting,

standing,walking,orlyingdown.Pleasuresandpainskeepcrisscrossingonmanylevelsatalltimes.

ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustomeditate.Thepracticeofmeditationisreallyimportant.Simplyknowingaboutthesethingsisn’tenough.Theknowledgethatcomesfrompracticewithastillmindandtheknowledgethatcomesfromstudyarereallyfarapartfromeachother—far,farapart.Whenwegainknowledgefromstudy,it’snotthatourmindknowshowtoletgoofit.Itknowsandthenpouncesonthingstostashthemaway.Whystashthemaway?Sothattheycanspoil.Whentheyspoil,wecry.Ifthemindknowsbothhowtoholdonandhowtoputthingsdown,bothhowtostashawayandhowtoletgo,bothhowtoknowandletgo,weknowthatthingsaresimplythewaytheyare.Wedon’tforgetourselves.Whenpainorillnessarises,wewon’tforget.

Somepeoplesay,“Oh,thisyearI’vebeensickallyearlong.Ihaven’tbeenabletomeditate.”Thesearethewordsofapersonwho’sextremelystupid.Peoplewhoaresick,peoplewhoaredying,shouldacceleratetheirmeditationevenmore,no?Andyettheysaytheydon’thavetimetomeditateanymore.Stresshasarisen,painhasarisen,alackoftrustinthesefabricationshascome,andyettheythinktheycan’tmeditatebecausetheydon’thavethetime.TheBuddhadidn’tteachlikethat.Hetaughtthatthat’stherightspot.You’vearrivedattherightspottopractice.Whenyou’refallingill,whenyou’reabouttodie,thenthemoreyouaccelerateyourefforts,themoreyouknowandsee.Righttheniswhenthetruthappearsevenmore.Ifyoudon’tthinkinthisway,thingsaregoingtobedifficult.

Somepeoplesaytheyhavenoopportunitytopracticebecauseofalltheworktheyhavetodo.I’vehadlotsofteacherscominghereandIaskthemwhattheydo.Theysaytheyteachchildrenandtheyhavesomuchworkthatithastheminatizzy.Theydon’thaveanytimetomeditate.SoIaskthem,“Whenyouteachyourstudents,doyouhavetimetobreathe?”

“Yes,sir.”“Oh.Sowhydoyouhavetimetobreathewhenyousayyourworkhasyouina

tizzy?You’refarfromunderstandinganything.Actually,thepracticeisamatterofthemind,amatterofyourawareness.It’snotthesortofthingwhereyouhavetodothis,dothat,orjumparoundalot.It’ssimplyamatterofyourawareness.Asforthebreath,youcankeeponbreathingasyouwork.Thenatureofthebodyknowsevenmoreabouthowtodothisthanyoudo.Itkeepsonlookingafteritself.Allyouhavetodoisbemoremindfultobealert,that’sall.Keepatitsothatyouseeintothingsmoreandmoreclearly.That’sthewayitiswithmeditation.Ifwe’reawareinthisway,thenitdoesn’tmatterwhatkindofworkyoudo,theworkwon’tbespoiled.Infact,you’llbe

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abletodothatworkinawaythat’salwaysmoresensitivetowhat’srightandwrong.Sochangethewayyouunderstandthings.

“Youhavelotsoftimetomeditate.Yousimplydon’tunderstand,that’sall.Whenyou’relyingdown,youcanbreathe,right?Whenyou’reeating,youcanbreathe,right?Youcanbreathewhereveryouare.Whydoyouhavetimetodothat?Ifyouthinkinthisway,yourlifehasavalueequaltoyourbreath.Andwhereveryouare,you’llhavetime.Ourawarenessandthoughtsarementalmatters,notphysicalmatters.

“Socontemplateinanewway,thinkinanewway,exploreinanewway.Allyouhavetodoisbemindfulandyou’llknowhowtoberesponsibleallthetime,whethersitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown.You’llgetvalueoutofyourtime.Youhavemorethanenoughtime.You’resimplynotintelligentintheareaofyourowntime,whichiswhyyoudon’thaveanytime.Actually,youhavetimeallthetime.Sotakethisandcontemplateit.”That’sthewayitis.

Theissueoffeelings:Isthereanywherewecanruntogetawayfromthem?That’swhywehavetoknowthem.Wehavetoknowthemclearly.Thefeelingisjustfeeling,that’sall.Pleasureisjustpleasure,that’sall.Painisjustpain,that’sall.They’realljust“that’sall”kindsofthings,sowhylatchontothem?Ifthemindisintelligent,allithastodoisthinklikethisanditcanseparatethefeelingoutfromthemind.Thefeelingisjustafeeling,that’sall.Themindseesthatit’sjust“that’sall.”Painisjustpain,that’sall.Pleasureisjustpleasure,that’sall.Justletthemseparateout.Aretheythere?Yes,they’rethere,butthey’reoutsidetheheart.They’reoutsidetheheart.They’retherewithoutclinging.Theminddoesn’tmakeanyassumptionsaboutthem.They’retheresortofasifthey’renotthere,that’sall.

Thinkinthisway,contemplate,anddon’tworryaboutwhereitwilltakeyou.Thisiscalledseparatingfeelingfromthemind.Knowwhatthemindislike;knowwhatthefeelingislike.

Themindiswhatentersintothesenseofpleasure,andsoforth,toseeifwhatwesayispleasureisreallytrue,toseeifthepainisforsure.Whenwefollowthingsinlikethis,discernmentarisesinthemindandseparatesoutthepleasureandpain,seeingthatthepleasureisjustpleasure,that’sall.Thepainisjustpain,that’sall.Wedon’tseethatthere’sanythingthere.Whatever’sthereisjusta“that’sall”kindofthing.

Whenwehavethisawarenessallthewayfromthebeginningtotheend,themindwillletgo—butit’snotlettinggofromignorance,youknow.Itletsgoanditknowsatthesametime.Itdoesn’tletgothroughstupidity,orfromnotwantingthingstobethatway.Itletsgobecauseitseesthatthat’sthewaythingsareoftheirownaccord.Thisiscalledseeingnature,orseeingwhat’snormal.

Whenweknowinthisway,we’llbeadeptwithregardtothemind.Weknowhowtolookafterthemind.We’reintelligentintheareaofourownmind,intelligentinlookingafterthemind.Whenyou’reintelligentintheareaofthemind,you’llhaveto

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beintelligentintheareaofitspreoccupations.Whenyou’reintelligentintheareaofpreoccupations,you’resuretobeintelligentintheareaoftheworld.Thisiscalledlokavidū:expertintheaffairsoftheworld.TheBuddhawasexpertintheaffairsoftheworld,rightinthemidstofthingsthatwerecomplexandconfusing,butheknewthosethingsthatwerecomplexandconfusing.Andhisknowledgeofwhat’snotcomplexorconfusingwasrightinthesameplace.Theworldisaturmoil,sohowwasheabletoknowitinanexpertway?WehavetounderstandthattheDhammaformulatedbytheBuddhahasnothingthatliesbeyondourcapabilities.

Sowhenweknowrightatourownmindthatthemindisthemind,feelingsarefeelings,andtheyseparateoutfromeachother—intheirownseparateparts,theirownseparatestages—themindcanseethattheconditionsofpreoccupationsarejustlikethat,oftheirownaccord.Theysimplyariseanddisband.Theyariseanddisband,disbandandarise.That’sallthereistothem.Weletthemgo,inlinewiththeirownnature,becausethey’reinseparateplaces.

Thisiswhatitmeanstoknowandseeinlinewiththewaythingsare.Righthereiswheretheproblemcomestoanend.

Soallofushere:Thisisthewaythingsare.Whetheryou’resitting,standing,walking,orlyingdown,thisisthewaytheyarewitheverymomentbecauseyouinclineyourmindtothepractice.You’remindfulandalertatalltimes.That’sallthereistoit.Whenthetimecomestositinconcentration,goaheadanddoit.Understandthatconcentrationisforthepurposeofgivingrisetostillness,andthestillnesssimplystrengthensyourenergy,that’sall.It’snotforthesakeofseeingalotofotherthings.Sowehavetokeeppracticingconcentrationsteadily.

Asforpracticingvipassanā,that’sthesameaspracticingconcentration.Insomeplacestheysay,“Nowwe’redoingconcentration,andonlylaterwillwedovipassanā.Rightnowwe’redoingtranquilitymeditation.”Thatkindofthing.Don’tputthemfarawayfromeachotherthatway.Tranquilityisthesourceofdiscernment;discernment,thefruitoftranquility.It’snotthatnowyou’regoingtodotranquility,andlateryou’regoingtodovipassanā.Youcan’treallyseparatethemoutthatway.They’reseparateonlyinname.They’relikeamachete:Theedgeofthebladeisononeside;thebackofthebladeisontheother.Youcan’tseparatethem.Ifyoupickupjustthehandle,boththeedgeofthebladeandthebackofthebladecomealongwithit.Theydon’tlieanywhereelse.

Whenthere’sstillness,discernmentarisesrightthereinthestillness.Seethemasasinglechunkofwood.Wheredothesethingscomefrom?Theyhaveamotherorfathertogivebirthtothem,youknow,justasallofushavetocomefromamotherandfathertobesittinghere.WheredoestheDhammacomefrom?VirtueisthemotherandfatheroftheDhamma.Inthebeginningtherehastobevirtue.Andthisvirtueisstillness—meaningthatthere’snowrongdoingintermsofyourbodyormind.

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Whenthere’snowrongdoing,there’snotroublebecausethere’snowrong.Whenthere’snotrouble,stillnesscanarise.Themindgivesrisetoconcentrationrightatthesametime.Thisiswhywe’retaughtthatvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment—thepathbywhichthenobleonesgotonibbāna—arealloneandthesamething.

Toputitevenmorebriefly:Virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentareoneandthesamething—oneandthesamepieceofDhamma.Virtueisconcentration;concentrationisvirtue.Concentrationisdiscernment;discernmentisconcentration.It’slikeamango.Whenit’sstillaflower,wecallitamangoflower.Whenit’salittlefruit,wecallitababymango.Whenitgetsbigger,wecallitabiggishmango.Whenitgetsbiggerandalmostripe,wecallitahalf-ripemango.Whenit’sfullyripe,wecallitaripemango.It’sallthesamemango,simplythatitkeepschanging,changing,changing,changing.Whenit’sbig,it’sbigcomingfromlittle.Whenit’slittle,it’slittleheadingforbig.Youcouldcallitdifferentmangos,oryoucouldcallitallthesamemango.

Virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentareinterrelatedinjustthesameway.Ultimatelytheybecomethepathprogressingtothestreamtonibbāna.Themango,startingfromwhenit’saflower,progressestoripeness,andthat’senough.Seeitinthisway.Whenweseeitinthisway,wedon’tcriticizeit.

Thesamewiththisfabricatedbody.Whateveritdoes,don’tgetworkedupaboutit.Afterit’sborn,itgrowsold.Afterit’sborn,whateveritdoes,contemplateit.

Somepeopledon’twanttogrowold.Whentheygrowold,theygetdespondent.Ifthat’sthecase,thendon’teatripemangos!Whydoyouwantthemangotoberipe?Whenmangosdon’tripenfastenough,weforcethemtoripen,don’twe?Yetwhenwegrowoldandripen,wegetafraidanddespondent.Somepeoplestartcrying,afraidthatthey’regoingtogrowoldanddie.Ifthat’sthecase,theyshouldn’teatripemangos.They’dbettereatjustthemangoflowers.

Whenwecanthinkinthisway,theDhammabecomesclearer.Wecanbeatourease—andwhatwillwedo?We’llsimplysetourmindsonhowwehavetofocussolelyonthepractice.

That’stheDhammatalkforyou,theChiefPrivyCouncilorandyourchildrenandgrandchildrenwhohavegatheredheretoday.I’veexplainedtheDhammaforyoutohear,andthatshouldbeenoughfornow.

WhatI’vetaughtyouhere:I’dlikeyoutotakeitaparttocontemplate.It’snotyetright;it’snotyetwrong.Forittoberightorwrong,youhavetocontemplateit.That’seachperson’sindividualduty.Andasforwhatever’swrongorinaccurate,giveityourforgivenessatthesametime.Actually,whetherit’srightorwrong,it’sallsomethingforyoutopracticewith:Whatever’swrong,throwitaway;whatever’sright,practiceinlinewithit.Practice,okay?Practiceabandoningbothrightandwrong.Ultimately,thepracticeisamatterofabandoningbothrightandwrong.Youthrow

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awaywhat’sright;youthrowawaywhat’swrong.If,whatever’sright,youholdontoitasright,andotherpeoplesayit’swrong,youjustkeeponquarreling.TheDhamma,though,isaplacewherethere’snothing.Nothingatall.

Ioncereadastorythatoneofmystudentsbroughthere.SomeZenstudentsweresittingwiththeirteachernearaflagonapole.Thewindwasblowingbackandforth,andtheflagwasflapping.Oneofthestudentssaid,“Eh?Whyistheflagflapping?Itmustbebecauseofthewind.”Anotherstudentsaid,“No.It’sbecausethere’saflag.”Sotheykeptarguinginthatway.Theteacherwassittingtherebutdidn’tsayanything.“It’sbecauseofthewind.”“No.It’sbecausethere’saflag.”“No.It’sbecauseofthewind.”“No.It’sbecausethere’saflag.”Theykeptonarguinguntiltheteachersaid,“No.You’rebothwrong,whichiswhytheflagisstillflutteringandflapping.Thereisnoflagandthereisnowind.”There.Thatwastheendofthat.[Laughs]

[Breakintherecording]

Question:…thebodyinthebodyuntilyouseetheminddisband.Yourexplanationofseeingthebodyinthebodyisclear,buttoseethemindinthemind:whatexactlydoesitmean?Couldyouexplainjustalittlemore?—butnotsomuchthatitmakesyoutired.

AjahnChah:EventhoughI’mtired,Ihavetospeak,youknow.Youcan’tspeakwithoutgettingtired.Evenwhenyou’retired,youhavetospeak.

You’veaskedwhatthemindis.IhavetoexplainthisbeforeItalkaboutwhat’sinthemind.It’ssomewhatlikeknowingthatthisisaspittoon.Thenyoucanknowwhat’sinthespittoon.You’reclearaboutwhat’sinthespittoon.Why?Becauseyoufirstknowwhatthespittoonis,right?Youcan’tgofirsttowhat’sinthespittoon.What’sthespittoon?Thisisthespittoon.Thenyoucanlookintothespittoonandseewhat’sinit.Youseethatthere’swaterinthespittoon.That’swhattheproblemislike.

Asforthemind…Actually,there’snosubstancetothemind.Youcan’tpointtowherethemindis.Butwecandescribeitinawaythatmakesiteasiertosee,sothatyoucanknowwhatthemindis.There’sanawareness,anawarenessofthings.Itdoesn’tknowthatit’sthemind,butwe’reaware.There’sanawareness,theactofbringinginapreoccupation,theactofrecognizingallthevariouspreoccupations.Whenapreoccupationhashitus,thatmeanswe’velatchedontoit.Theactoflettinggointheactofattachment:What’sthat?Isthereanythingthere,ornot?Rightthereinthemind,whereit’slatchedon:Isthereanythingthere?Theawarenessthat’sawarethere:That’sthemind.Goingdeeperintothatawareness,isthereanythingthereinthat?That’swhat’sinthemind.That’swhereyouknowthemindinthemind.Themindislikethespittoon.Theonlywaytomakeitclearistoexplainitinthisway.There’snoshapetoit,soyouhavetoexplainitinthisway.Onceyouknowthatthisis

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thespittoon,youcanlookintothespittoontoseewhat’sinit.Themindiswhat’sawareofpreoccupations,whatthinksandbrings

preoccupationsintoit.Onceit’saware,itbringspreoccupationsintoitandthenholdstheminside.Whatholdstheminside:Canyousensewhat’sinthere?Thereareallkindsofclingingsandassumptions,rightandwronginthere.…

That’snotquiteright.It’slikegrabbingholdofsomethinginyourfist.“Eh?WhathaveIgrabbedinmyfist?”Youopenupyourfisttoseewhat’sinthere.Thisiswhat’sinyourfist,right?

It’sthesamewiththemind.Ifwespeakusingnatural,ordinarywords,wecansaythatit’swhatbringspreoccupationsin,whatbringspreoccupationsintoourmind:Oncethey’rethere—thepreoccupationsheldinthemind—weopenituptoseewhat’sinthere.Arethererightviews?Aretheywisetopleasureandpain?Trytoknowwhat’srightthere.That’swherethepathis.Thepathtoknowingisrightthere,rightwhereyouwereholdingontothings.

ThisisjustalittlebitofwhattheBuddhataught.It’senoughtohelpmeunderstand.Thatshouldbeenough.I’lltakeittothinkover.That’sright.Takeitandcontinuewithit.Yes,sir.I’lltry.I’lltrysittingandmeditatingwithit.Youcan’tawakentothesethingssimplybecauseotherpeoplehavetoldyouabout

them.Thefactofthematteristhatwhenyouleavehereyouhavetocontemplatethemforyourself.TheBuddhasaid,“AkkhātāroTathāgatā:TheTathāgatassimplypointouttheway.”Inotherwords,theyteachpeoplehowtoswim,buttheycan’tswimforthem.Iftheydoourswimmingforus,wedrown.It’sbeyondtheirabilitytodoourswimmingforus.That’sthewayithastobe.

Thesamewithnibbāna:Whydidn’tourBuddhaexplainnibbānasothatit’stotallyclear?Becauseitcan’tbeexplainedinawaythat’stotallyclear.It’slikeshowingapicturetoablindperson.Theblindpersoncan’tseeitclearly.Beforeitcanbecomeclear,theblindpersonhastotreathiseyesuntiltheycansee.Onlythenwillthepicturebeclear.

It’sthesamesortofthinghere.TheBuddhawantedsomuchforustoknowandsee,butnibbānaisthesortofDhammathat’spaccattaṁ:personal.That’sasfarashecouldhelp.He“AkkhātāroTathāgatā:TheTathāgatassimplypointouttheway,”andthenhetookhisleave.That’sthewayitis.

Thankyou,sir.

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BecomingaSamaṇa

TODAYI’mgivingspecialinstructionsspecificallyforthemonksandnovices.Setyourheartsonlistening.AsidefromthepracticeoftheDhammaandVinaya,there’snothingelseforustostudy,talkabout,andofferopinionson.

Iwanteachofustounderstandthatwenowhavethestatusofpeoplegoneforth,soweshouldbehaveinawaythat’sfittingformonksandnovices.We’veallpassedthroughthestatusoflaylife.It’sastatusmarkedwithturmoil,withnoclearpatternsforourbehavior.Sonowthatwe’veenteredthestatusofsamaṇasintheBuddha’steachings,wehavetochangeourheartsandmindstobedifferentfromthoseoflaypeople.Ourwords,ourmovements,ourcomingsandgoings,ourwaysofeating,steppingforward,andsteppingback—everythinghastobeinlinewiththosegoneforthwhoarecalledsamaṇa,whichmeanspeoplewhoarepeacefulandatrespite.Before,wewerelaypeopleanddidn’tknowthemeaningofsamaṇa—peaceandrespite.Weallletourbodiesandmindsfindenjoymentinlinewithourdefilementsandcravings.Whenourpreoccupationsweregood,theymadeusglad.Whentheywerebad,theymadeussad.That’scalledbeinginfluencedbypreoccupations.Whenwe’reinfluencedbypreoccupations,theBuddhasaidthatwe’renottakingcareofourselves.Wedon’tyethavearefuge,soweletourheartsandmindsrunloosewithenjoyment,withsuffering,sorrow,lamentation,anddespair.Wedon’treinourselvesin.Wedon’tcontemplatethings.

IntheBuddha’steachings,whenyouordainintothestatusofasamaṇa,youhavetomakeyourbodythatofasamaṇa.Tobeginwith,youshaveyourhead.Youhavetocutyournails.Yourclothingistheochrerobe—thebannerofthenobleones,thebanneroftheBuddha,thebannerofthearahants.Thefactthatyou’veordaineddependsonthelegacy,theinheritanceleftbehindbyourForemostTeacher.That’swhyourwayoflifeisenoughtogetbyon.Ourdwellings,forinstance,comefromthemeritofthefaithfulwhobuiltthem.Wedon’thavetofixourfood—andthiscomesfromthelegacy,theinheritanceleftbehindbyourForemostTeacher.Ourmedicine,ourclothing:AllthesethingsdependonthelegacyleftbehindbytheBuddha.

Onceyou’vebeenordainedintheBuddha’steachings,you’vebeensupposedintobeingamonk,butyou’renotyetagenuinemonk,youknow.You’reamonkonthelevelofsupposition—inotherwords,you’reamonkasfarasyourbody:theshavedhead,theyellowrobes.You’reamonkonthelevelofsupposition.

It’sthesameaswhentheycarvewood,sculptcement,ormoldbronzetobea

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Buddhaonthelevelofsupposition.It’snotthegenuineBuddha.It’sgold,lead,bronze,wood,lacquer,stone.ThesethingshavebeensupposedintobeingaBuddha,butthey’renottheBuddha.They’retheBuddhaonthelevelofsupposition,notthegenuineBuddha.

It’sthesamewithyou:You’vebeenformallydeclaredtobemonkswhohaveordainedintheBuddha’steachings,butyou’renotyetmonks.You’resupposedmonks,notgenuinemonks.Whatthismeansisthatyourheartsarenotyetfullyendowedwithgoodwill,compassion,empatheticjoy,andequanimity.Yourpurityisn’tyetallthewaythere.Youhavegreed,aversion,anddelusionobstructingthearisingofgenuinemonkswithinyou.Thesethingshavebeenwithyousincewaybackwhen:fromthedayofyourbirth,fromyourpreviouslifetimes.You’vebeennourishedwithgreed,aversion,anddelusionallalonguptothepresent.Sowhenpeoplelikeyouareordainedtobemonks,you’restilljustsupposedmonks.Youstillliveonthegreed,aversion,anddelusioninyourhearts.Realmonksabandonthesethings.Theydrivegreedoutoftheirhearts,driveaversionoutoftheirhearts,drivedelusionoutoftheirhearts.Theycontainnopoison,nodanger.Ifthere’sstillpoison,you’renotyetamonk.Youhavetodrivethesethingsoutsothatyoucanreachpurity.

Soyouhavetostarttryingtodestroygreed,aversion,anddelusion,whicharethedominantdefilementsineachofyou.Thesethingskeepyoufencedintostatesofbecomingandbirth.Thereasonyoucan’treachpeaceisbecausegreed,anger,anddelusionareobstaclesblockingthesamaṇa,peace,fromarisinginyourhearts.Aslongasitcan’tarise,you’renotreallymonks.Inotherwords,yourheartsaren’tyetatpeaceawayfromgreed,aversion,anddelusion.

That’swhywe’vecometopractice—topracticesoastoeradicategreed,aversion,anddelusionfromourhearts.Onceyoueradicategreed,aversion,anddelusionfromyourhearts,you’llreachpurity.You’llreachgenuinemonk-ness.Atthecurrentlevelofyourpractice,you’remonksonthelevelofsupposition.It’ssimplyasupposition.You’renotyetmonks.Sobuildamonkwithinyourheart.Youbuildamonkbymeansofyourheart—notbyanyothermeans.

Inbuildingamonkbymeansofyourheart,youdon’tusejustyourheart.Twothings—one,yourbody;two,yourspeech—alsohavetobeinvolved.Beforeyourbodyandspeechcandoanything,itfirsthastocomeoutoftheheart.Forthingstoexistjustinyourheartandnotcomeoutinyouractionsandspeech:Thatcan’thappen,either.Sothesethingsareconnectedwithoneanother.

Whenwespeakoftheheart,ofthebeautyoftheheart,thepolishedsmoothnessoftheheart,it’slikespeakingofasmooth,polishedwoodenpillar.Thewoodweusetomakeaboardorapillar—beforeit’ssmoothandpolishedandtheycoatitwithshellactomakeitbeautiful—firsthastobecutfromatree.Theyhavetocutoffthecrudeendsandthensplititandsawit—allkindsofthings.Theheartislikeatree.

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Wehavetotakeitfromitscrudeness,cuttingawayitscrudeparts,cuttingawayitsroots,itsbranches,itsbark,destroyingeverythingthat’snotsmoothandpolished.Youhavetodestroythosepartsuntilyoureachastatewherethewoodisbeautifulandwellproportioned.Thefactthatit’sbeautifulandwellproportionedcomesfromhavingpassedthroughcrudeactivities.

It’sthesamewiththoseofuswhoarepracticing.Tocomeandmakeourheartsandmindspureandatpeaceissomethinggood,butit’shard.Wehavetostartwithexternalthings—ourbody,ourspeech—andthenworkinward.Onlythenwillwebecomesmooth,polished,andbeautiful.It’slikehavingafinishedtableorbed.It’sbeautifulnow,butitusedtobecrude.Itwasatree,atrunk.Sowecutit—cuttingthetrunk,cuttingawaytheleaves—becausethat’sthepathwehavetofollowsothatitcanbecomeatableorbed,sothatitcanbecomesomethingbeautiful,good,andpure.

InthecorrectpathtopeaceasformulatedbytheBuddha,heformulatedvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment.Thisisthepath,thepathleadingtopurity,leadingtobecomingasamaṇa.It’sthepaththatcanwashgreed,aversion,anddelusionaway.Youhavetogothroughthestepsofvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment.Thisisn’tdifferentfrommakingatable.Whenwecompareexternalthingsandinternalthingsinthisway,thereisn’tanydifference.

Sowhenwetrainyourhabits—makingyoulistentotheDhamma,makingyouchant,makingyousitinconcentration—thesethingsgrateagainstyourheart.Theygratebecauseyourheartissloppyandlazy.Itdoesn’tlikedoinganythingthatclasheswithit,thatputsittodifficulties.Itdoesn’twantthesethings;itwon’tdothem.That’swhyyouhavetomakeanefforttoendure.Weallhavetousethequalitiesofenduranceandpersistencetoslashourwaythroughandkeeptryingtodothesethings.

Ourbodies,forinstance:Weusedtodothingsthatwerefunandunruly,allkindsofthings,sonowthatwe’rewatchingoverthem,it’sdifficult.Ourspeechusedtospeakwithoutanyrestraint,sonowthatwe’rerestrainingit,it’sdifficult.Buteventhoughit’sdifficult,wecan’tletthatstopus.It’slikeatree:Beforewecanmakeitintoatableorabed,wehavetogothroughdifficulties,butwecan’tletthemstopus.Wehavetogothroughthosestages.Togetthetableorbed,wehavetogothroughthecrudeparts.

It’sthesamewithus.WhentheBuddhataughtsothathegainedstudentsanddiscipleswhosemindssucceededingainingawakening,allofthemstartedoutasrun-of-the-millpeoplewhentheyordained—run-of-the-millpeoplejustlikeus.Theyhadthevariouspartsoftheirbodies—legs,ears,eyes—justlikeus;greedandaversionjustlikeus.Noneoftheirfeatureswereinanywaydifferentfromours.ThatwastrueoftheBuddhahimself;thatwastrueofhisdisciples.Ineverycase,theytookwhatwasn’tyetcapableandmadeitcapable;whatwasn’tyetbeautifulandmadeitbeautiful;whatwasn’tyetuptostandardandbroughtituptostandard.Thishasbeentrueallalong

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uptousinthepresent.Weordainthechildrenofhouseholders—farmers,merchants—peoplewhohavebeenembroiledineveryvarietyofsensualpreoccupation.Thesearethepeopleweordainandtrain.Andwe’vebeenabletotrainthemallalong.

Sounderstandthatyou’rejustlikethenobleonesofthepast.Youhavethesameaggregates.Youhaveabody,justlikethem.Youhavefeelings—pleasureandpain—justlikethem.Youhaveperceptions—recognizingandlabeling—justlikethem.Youhavethoughtfabricationsandconsciousness—goodandbad:everything,justlikethem.SoeachofyouisonemorepersoninthesameconditioninbodyandmindlikethestudentstheBuddhagainedinthepast.You’renotdifferentinanyway.Hisnobledisciplesstartedoutasrun-of-the-millpeople.Someofthemweretroublemakers,someofthemwerefools,someofthemwereordinaryrun-of-the-millpeople,someofthemweregoodpeople—justlikeyou.Theyweren’tdifferentinanyway.Sojustashetookthosepeopleandtrainedthemtopracticesoastoattainthenoblepathsandfruitions,wetodaytakethesamesortofpeopletopractice—todevelopvirtue,developconcentration,developdiscernment.

Virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentarethenamesofourpractices.Whenwepracticevirtue,practiceconcentration,andpracticediscernment,wepracticerightatourselves.Wepracticerightatourselves,andthat’swhenwe’reontarget.We’reontargetwithvirtuerighthere,ontargetwithconcentrationrighthere.Why?Becausethebodyisrightherewithus.Virtueisamatterofeverypartofthebody,everypartthattheBuddhahasuslookafter.Withvirtue,we’retaughttolookafterourbody.Wealreadyhaveabody.Howisthat?Wehavefeet;wehavehands.We’vealreadygotabody.Thisiswherewelookaftervirtue.Togiverisetovirtue,welookafterthisbodywealreadyhave.Thesamewithspeech:Whetheryoutellliesorengageindivisivespeech,coarsespeech,oridlechatter,whetheryouuseyourbodytokilllivingbeings,stealpeople’sbelongings,orengageinsexualmisconduct—allthethingsthattherulesonvirtueareconcernedwitharethingsthatlierightwithyou.Youalreadyhaveabody.Youalreadyhavespeech.Thesethingsarealreadytherewithyou.

Sowhenyouexerciserestraint,youwatchthem.Youlook.Forinstance,lookatkilling,stealing,andengaginginsexualmisconduct.TheBuddhahasyoulookatcrudeactivitiesofthebody.Killingisusingyourfistoraweaponinyourhandtokillanimals,bigorsmall.Thisissomethingcrude—thesortofthingyouusedtodobeforeyoustartedobservingtheprecepts.Youtransgressed.Andtherewerethetimeswhenyoudidn’trestrainyourspeech:tellinglies,engagingindivisivespeech,coarsespeech,oridlechatter.Tellingliesismisrepresentingthetruth.Coarsespeechiscarelesslyinsultingpeople:“Youpig!Youdog!”Idlechatterisspeakingplayfullyaboutthingsthatservenopurpose,sayingwhatevercomesintoyourhead.Thesesortsofthingswe’vealldoneinthepast.Wedidn’texerciserestraint.Butnow,whenwelookafterourvirtue,welook:Welookatourbody;welookatourspeech.

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Who’sdoingthelooking?Whoareyouusingtodothelooking?Whenyoukillananimal,whoknows?Isyourhandwhatknows?Orwhoisit?Whenyougotostealsomething,whoknows?Isyourhandwhatknows?Orwhoisit?Whenyouengageinsexualmisconduct,who’sthefirsttoknow?Isyourbodywhatknows?Whenyoutellalie,who’sthefirsttoknow?Whenyouusecoarsespeechorengageinidlechatter,who’sthefirsttoknow?Yourmouth?Ordothewordsknowfirst?Thinkaboutthis.Whoever’stheonewhoknows,getthatonetolookafteryourbodyandspeech.Whoever’stheonewhoknows,getthatonetokeepwatch.Gettheonewho’sbeenmakingtheothersact—makingthemdogood,makingthemdoevil—getthatonetolookafterthem.Catchthethiefandmakehimthevillageheadman.Getthatonetolookaftertheothers.Getthatonetocontemplate.

Whenwe’retoldtolookaftertheactionsofthebody,whowilldothelooking?Thebodydoesn’tknowanythingatall.Thebodywalks,stepsonthings,goeseverywhere.Thesamewiththehand:Itdoesn’tknowanything.Itcatchesholdofthat,touchesthis—butonlywhensomeoneelsetellsitto.Itcatchesholdofthat,thenputsitdown.Ittakesitupagain,throwsthisawaytotakesomethingelse.Ineverycase,therehastobesomeonetotellitto.Itdoesn’tknowanything.Therehastobesomeoneelsetotellit,someoneelsetogivetheorders.Thesamewithourmouth:Whetheritliesortellsthetruth,whenitengagesindivisivespeechorcoarsespeech,there’ssomeonewhotellsitto.

Forthisreason,whenwepractice,weestablishmindfulness—theabilitytorecollect—rightattheknower,theonethat’saware.Ifwe’retosteal,kill,engageinsexualmisconduct,telllies,speakdivisivespeech,coarsespeech,oridlechatter—anyofthesethings—theknoweriswhatleadsthewayinactingorspeaking.Whereveritis,staywithit.Bringyouralertness,yourmindfulnessalwaystherewiththeknower,togetthatonetolookafterthings,tobeaware.

ThisiswhytheBuddha’srulesdealwithcrudethings:Killingisevil;it’sagainsttheprecepts.Stealingiswrong.Sexualmisconductiswrong.Tellingliesiswrong.Usingcoarsespeechorengaginginidlechatteriswrong.Thesearethingsforustoremember.Thesearehisrules,thelawsoftheLordBuddha.Sonowwe’recarefulaboutthem.Theonewhousedtobreakthem—whousedtoorderustokillanimals,tosteal,toengageinsexualmisconduct,totelllies,tospeakdivisively,tospeakcoarsely,toengageinidlechatter,toactwithoutrestraintinvariousways—singing,dancing,whistling,playingmusicalinstruments:Theonewhousedtoorderustodothesethingshasnowturnedintotheonewholooksafterourbehavior.Weusemindfulness—alertness,theabilitytorecollect—tomakeitexerciserestraint,tolookafteritself,tolookafteritselfwell.

Ifit’sabletolookafteritself,thenthebodyisn’thardtolookafter,forthebodyliesunderthegovernanceofthemind.Ourspeechisn’thardtolookafter,forour

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speechliesunderthegovernanceofthemind.Whenthat’sthecase,lookingaftertheprecepts—lookingafterourbodyandspeech—isn’thard.Wemakeourselvesawareineveryposture—standing,walking,sitting,orlyingdown,everystepoftheway.Makesurethatyouknowwhatyou’redoingbeforeyoudoit,thatyouknowwhatyou’resayingbeforeyousayit.Don’tactorspeakbeforeyouknowwhatyou’redoing.Knowfirst,andonlythenactorspeak.Bemindful—recollect—beforeyouactorspeakinanyway.Youhavetorecollectfirst.Practicethisuntilyou’requickatit.Practicebeingaheadofthegame.Bequickatbeingabletorecollectbeforeyouact,torecollectbeforeyouspeak.Establishmindfulnessinyourheartlikethis.Gettheknowertolookafteritself—forit’stheonewhoacts.Becauseit’stheonewhoacts,thingswon’tworkifyouhaveanyoneelselookingafterit.Youhavetogetittolookafteritself.Ifitdoesn’tlookafteritself,thingswon’twork.

TheBuddhataughtthatlookingafterthepreceptsisn’thardifyoulookafteryourself.Ifanyformsofharmareabouttoarisebywayofyourbodilyactionsorspeech,thenifmindfulnessisinplace,you’llrecognizethem.You’llhaveasenseofrightandwrong.Thisishowyoulookafteryourprecepts.Yourbodyandspeechdependonyou.Thisisthefirststep.

Ifyoucanlookafteryourbodilyactionsandspeech,thenthey’rebeautiful.Atease.Yourmanners,yourcomingsandgoings,yourspeech,areallbeautiful.Thiskindofbeautyisthebeautythatcomesfromhavingsomeoneshapeandmouldthem—someonewhokeepslookingafterthemandcontemplatingthemallthetime.It’slikeourhome,oursala,ourhuts,andtheirsurroundingareas.Ifthere’ssomeonetosweepthemandlookafterthem,they’rebeautiful.They’renotdirty—becausethere’ssomeonetolookafterthem.It’sbecausethere’ssomeonelookingafterthemthattheycanbebeautiful.

Thesamewithourbodilyactionsandspeech:Ifthere’ssomeonelookingafterthem,they’rebeautiful.Evil,obscene,dirtythingscan’tarise.Ourpracticeisbeautiful.fidi-kalyāṇaṁ,majjhe-kalyāṇaṁ,pariyosāna-kalyāṇaṁ:Beautifulinthebeginning,beautifulinthemiddle,beautifulintheend.Whatdoesthisreferto?One,virtue;two,concentration;three,discernment.Thesethingsarebeautiful.Theystartbybeingbeautifulinthebeginning.Ifthebeginningisbeautiful,thenthemiddleisbeautiful.Ifwecanexerciserestraintwithease,alwaysbeingwatchfulandcarefultothepointwhereourmindisfirmlyestablishedintheactoflookingafterthingsandexercisingrestraint,alwaysintent,alwaysfirm,thenthisqualityofbeingfirminyourduties,firminyourrestraint,isgivenadifferentname.It’scalled“concentration.”

Thequalityofexercisingrestraint,alwayslookingafteryourbody,lookingafteryourspeech,lookingafterallthethingsthatwouldariseinthisway:Thisiscalled“virtue.”Thequalityofbeingfirminyourrestraintiscalledsomethingelse:“concentration,”thefirmestablishingofthemind.It’sfirminthispreoccupation,firm

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inthatpreoccupation,alwaysrestrained.Thisiscalledconcentration.Thislevelofconcentrationisexternal,butithasaninternalsideaswell.Makesuretohavethiswithyoualways.Thishastocomefirst.

Whenyou’refirminthesethings—whenyouhavevirtueandconcentration—thenyouwillalsohavethequalityofcontemplatingwhat’srightandwhat’swrong.“Isthisright?”“Isthiswrong?”Thesequestionswillarisewitheverypreoccupationthatcomesintothemind:whensightsmakecontact,whensoundsmakecontact,whensmellsmakecontact,whentactilesensationsmakecontact,whenideasmakecontact.Aknowerwillappear,sometimeshappy,sometimessad,sometimespleased.Itwillknowgoodpreoccupations,badpreoccupations.You’llgettoseeallkindsofthings.Ifyou’rerestrained,you’llgettoseeallkindsofthingscomingin,aswellasthereactionsinthemind,intheknower.You’llbeabletocontemplatethem.Becauseyou’veexercisedrestraintandarefirminyourrestraint,thenwhateverpassesinthere,thereactionsintermsofyourbodilyactions,yourspeech,andyourmindwillshowthemselves.Thingsgoodorevil,rightorwrongwillarise.Andthenwhenyouchooseorselecttheproperpreoccupation,thisiswhat’scalled“athinlayerofdiscernment.”Thisdiscernmentwillappearinyourheart.Thisiscalledvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentallatonce.Thisishowtheyfirstarise.

Whatarisesnextwillbeattachment.Thisiswhereyou’reattachedtogoodness.You’llbeafraidthatyourmindwillbenegligentormistakeninvariousways,afraidthatyourconcentrationwillbedestroyed.Thiswillarisebecauseyouloveyourconcentrationalot.You’reveryprotective,verydiligent,verypersistent.Whenanypreoccupationmakescontact,you’reafraidofit.Wary.Concerned.Youseethisorthatpersonactingwrongly,andyouseeeverything.You’reverypossessive.Thisisalevelofvirtue,alevelofconcentration,alevelofdiscernment:theexternallevel.YouseethingsinlinewiththeBuddha’slaws.Thisisabeginningstage.Ithastobeestablishedinyourmind.Youneedtohaveitinyourmind.Thesequalitiesarisereallystronglyinthemind—tothepointwhere,whereveryougo,youseeeveryoneactingwrongly.Yougethappyandsad,youstarthavingdoubts,allkindsofthings.You’realwaysreadytopounceonotherpeople’smistakes.Thisisgoingoverboard,butthat’snotaproblemforthetimebeing.Letitgooverboardfornow.Youfirsthavetolookafteryourbodilyactions,lookafteryourspeech,lookafteryourmindasmuchasyoucan.There’snothingwrongwiththis.

Thisiscalledonelevelofvirtue.Virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentarealltheretogether.Intermsoftheperfections,thisisthefirstleveloftheperfections:dāna-pāramī,sīla-pāramī.That’sonelevel,theoneyou’vealreadyreached.Thenextlevel—dāna-upapāramī,sīla-upapāramī—issomethingelsethathastogrowoutofthis.Ittakesthingstoalevelmorerefinedthanthis.You’redistillingsomethingrefinedoutofsomethingcrude,that’sall.Youdon’tgetthenextlevelfromanything

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elsefaraway.Whenyou’veestablishedthisfoundation,practicingitinyourheartinthefirst

stage,youdevelopasenseofconscience,asenseoffearbothinprivateandinpublicplaces.Theheartisreallyafraid,onedgeatalltimes.Themindtakesitssenseofrightandwrongasitspreoccupationatalltimes.It’spreoccupiedwithexercisingrestraintoveryourbodilyactionsandspeech,alwaysfirminthisway.It’sreallyfirmlyattached.Thisisvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentinlinewiththeBuddha’srules.

Asyoukeeplookingafterthingsinthisway,keeppracticingcontinually,continually,continuallyinthisway,thesequalitieswillgrowfullinyourheart.Butthislevelofvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmenthasn’tyetreachedthelevelofjhāna.Thesethingsarestillfairlycrude.They’rerefined,butthey’retherefinedlevelofwhat’scrude.They’retherefinementofordinary,run-of-the-millpeoplewho’veneverdonethisbefore,neverrestrainedtheirbehaviorbefore,nevermeditated,neverpracticedbefore.Soforthem,thislevelisrefined.

It’slikefivebahtortenbaht,whichhavemeaningforpoorpeople.Forpeoplewhohavemoneybythemillions,fiveortenbahtmeannothing.That’sthewayitis.Ifyou’repoor,youwantabahtortwo.Thishasmeaningonlyforpeoplewhoarepoorandlacking.Yourabilitytoabandongrossformsofharmhasmeaningforordinaryrun-of-the-millpeoplewho’veneverabandonedthembefore.Andyoucanbeproudonthislevel.You’vefullycompletedthislevel.You’llseethisforyourself.Allthosewhopracticehavetomaintainthisintheirhearts.

Whenthisisthecase,you’resaidtobewalkingthepathofvirtue,thepathofconcentration,thepathofdiscernment:virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentallatonce.Theycan’tseparateout.Whenyourvirtueisgood,thefirmnessofthemindgrowsevenfirmer.Whenthemindisfirm,yourdiscernmentgetssharper.Thesethingsbecomesynonymsforoneanother.Youpracticecontinually,continually.It’srightpracticewithoutgaps.

Soifyoupracticeinthisway,you’resaidtohaveenteredthefirststageofthepathofpractice.Thisisacrudelevel,somethingalittlehardtomaintain,buttherefinedlevelsofvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentallcomeoutofthis.It’sasifthey’redistilledfromthissamething.Toputitinsimpleterms,it’slikeacoconuttree.Acoconuttreeabsorbsordinarywaterupthroughitstrunk,butwhenthewaterreachesthecoconuts,it’ssweetandclean.Itcomesfromordinarywater,thetrunk,thecrudedirt.Butasthewatergetsabsorbedupthetree,itgetsdistilled.It’sthesamewaterbutwhenitreachesthecoconutsit’scleanerthanbefore.Andsweet.Inthesameway,thevirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentofyourpatharecrude,butifthemindcontemplatesthesethingsuntilthey’remoreandmorerefined,theircrudenesswilldisappear.Theygetmoreandmorerefined,sothattheareayouhavetomaintaingrowssmallerandsmaller,intothemind.Thenit’seasy.Thingsgetclosertoyou.

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Nowatthisstage,youdon’tmakeanybigmistakes.It’ssimplythatwhenanyissuestrikestheheart,aquestionarises.Forexample,“Isactinginthiswayrightorwrong?”Or:“Isspeakinginthiswayright?”“Isspeakinginthiswaywrong?”:thissortofthing.Youabandonthingsandcomecloserandcloserin—continually,continuallycloserin.Yourconcentrationisevenfirmer;yourdiscernmentseesevenmoreeasily.

Theendresultisthatyouseethingssimplyintermsofthemindanditspreoccupations.Youdon’tgosplittingofftobodilyactionsorspeech.Youdon’tgosplittingofftoanythingatall.Whenwetalkaboutaffairsofbodyandmind,thebodyandminddependoneachother.Youseewhatexercisescontroloverthebody:themind.Whateverthebodydoesisbecauseofthemind.Now,beforethemindexercisescontroloverthebody,theimpulsecomesfromthepreoccupationsmakingcontactwiththemindandthenexercisingcontroloverthemind.Soasyoukeeponcontemplatinginwardly,inwardly,yoursubtletywillgraduallydevelop.Theendresultisthatthere’snothingbutthemindanditspreoccupations.Inotherwords,thebody,whichisaphysicalphenomenon,becomesnon-physical.Themindnolongergraspsatitsphysicality.Itturnsitsaspectasaphysicalthingintosomethingnon-physical:amindobjectorpreoccupationthatmakescontactwiththemind.Eventually,everythingisjustamatterofthemindanditspreoccupations—thepreoccupationsthatarisealongwithourmind.

Ourmind.Thisiswherewebegintofathomthenatureofourmind.Ourmindhasnoissues.It’slikeascrapofclothoraflagthat’sfastenedtotheendofapoleandjuststaysthere:Nothinghappens.Orlikealeaflefttoitsownnature:Itstaysstill;nothinghappens.Thefactthattheleaffluttersisbecauseofsomethingelse:thewind.Thenatureoftheleafitselfisthatitstaysstillanddoesn’tdoanythingtoanybody.Thefactthatitmovesisbecausesomethingelsecomesandmakescontact.Whenthewindmakescontact,theleaffluttersbackandforth.

It’sthesamewiththenatureofourmind.There’snolove,nohatred,noblamingofanyone.Itstaysasitisinthatway—aconditionthat’sreallypure,clear,andclean.Itstaysinpeace,withnopleasure,nopain,nofeelingsatall.That’sthegenuineconditionofthemind.Thereasonwepracticeistoexploreinwardly,exploreinwardly,exploreinwardly,tocontemplateinwardlyuntilwereachtheprimalmind:theprimalmindthat’scalledthepuremind.Thepuremindisthemindwithoutanyissues.Nopreoccupationsarepassingby.Inotherwords,itdoesn’tgorunningafterpreoccupations.Itdoesn’tcriticizethisorthat,doesn’tgetpleasureinthiswayorthat.It’snothappyaboutthisthingorsadaboutthat.Andyetthemindisalwaysaware.Itknowswhat’sgoingon.

Whenthemindisinthisstate,thenwhenpreoccupationscomeblowingthrough—good,bad,whateverthepreoccupations:Whentheycomeblowingorcogitatingin,themindisawareofthembutstaysasitis.Itdoesn’thaveanyissues.Itdoesn’twaver.

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Why?Becauseit’sawareofitself.It’sawareofitself.It’sconstructedfreedomwithinitself.It’sreacheditsowncondition.Howhasitbeenabletoreconstructitsprimalcondition?Becausetheknowerhascontemplatedinasubtlewaytoseethatallthingsaresimplymanifestationsofpropertiesandelements.There’snobodydoinganythingtoanybody.Aswhenpleasureorpainarises:Whenpleasurearises,it’sjustpleasure,that’sall.Whenpainarises,it’sjustpain,that’sall.Itdoesn’thaveanyowner.Theminddoesn’tmakeitselftheownerofpleasure,doesn’tmakeitselftheownerofpain.Itwatchesthesethingsandseesthatthere’snothingforittotake.They’reseparatekindsofthings,separatekindsofaffairs.Pleasureisjustpleasure,that’sall.Painisjustpain,that’sall.Themindissimplywhatknowsthesethings.

Before,whentherewasabasisforgreed,aversion,ordelusion,themindwouldtakethesethingsonassoonasitsawthem.Itwouldtakeonpleasure;itwouldtakeonpain.Itwentrightintothemtofeedonthem.“We”tookpleasureandpainwithoutstop.That’sasignthatthemindwasn’tawareofwhatitwasdoing.Itwasn’tbright.Itdidn’thaveanyfreedom.Itwentrunningafteritspreoccupations.Amindthatrunsafteritspreoccupationsisadestitutemind.Whenitgetsagoodpreoccupation,it’sgoodalongwithit.Whenitgetsabadpreoccupation,it’sbadalongwithit.Itforgetsitself,thatitsprimalnatureissomethingneithergoodnorbad.Ifthemindisgoodalongwithitspreoccupations,that’sadeludedmind.Whenbadcomesandit’sbad,too;whenpaincomesandit’spained,too;whenpleasurecomesandit’spleased,too,themindturnsintoaworld.Itspreoccupationsareaworld.They’restuckwiththeworld.Theygiverisetopleasure,pain,good,bad—allkindsofthings.Andthey’reallnotforsure.Ifthemindleavesitsprimalnature,nothing’sforsure.There’snothingbuttakingbirthanddying,quiveringandwavering,sufferingandlacking—nothingbutdifficultiesforalong,longtime.Thesethingshavenowayofcomingtoclosure.They’realljustpartofthecycle.Whenwecontemplatethemwithsubtlety,weseethattheyhavetokeeponbeingthewaythey’vebeeninthepast.

Asforthemind,itdoesn’thaveanyissues.Whenitdoeshaveissues,it’sbecausewegraspontothings.Likethepraiseandblameofhumanbeings:Ifsomeonesays,“You’reevil,”whydoyousuffer?Yousufferbecauseyouunderstandthatthey’recriticizingyou.Soyoupickthatupandputitinyourheart.Theactofpickingitup—knowingitandtakingitonthatway—isbecauseyou’renotwisetowhatitis,andsoyoucatchholdofit.Whenyoudothat,it’scalledstabbingyourselfwithclinging.Whenyou’vestabbedyourself,there’sbecomingthatgivesrisetobirth.

Withsomepeople’swords,ifwedon’tpaythemanyattentionortakethemon—whenweleavethemsimplyassounds,that’sall—thentherearenoissues.SayaKhmerpersoncursesyou:Youhearit,butit’sjustsounds—Khmersounds,that’sall.They’rejustsounds.Whenyoudon’tknowtheirmeaning,thatthey’recursingyou,theminddoesn’ttakethemon.Inthisway,youcanbeatyourease.OrifVietnameseoranyotherpeopleofdifferentlanguagescurseyou,allyouheararesounds.You’reat

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youreasebecauseyoudon’tbringthemintostabthemind.Thismind:Speakingaboutthearisingandpassingawayofthemind,thesethings

areeasytoknowwhenwekeeponcontemplatinginthiswaycontinually,continuallyinward.Themindgraduallybecomesmoreandmorerefinedbecauseithaspassedthroughthecrudestagesofthepractice.Yourconcentrationgetsevenmoreinwardlyfirm,moreinwardlyfocused.Themoreitcontemplatesinwardly,themoresureitisthatthisstateofmindisn’tinfluencedbyanything.Themindlikethisisreallyconvincedthatitisn’tinfluencedbyanything,byanypreoccupations.Preoccupationsarepreoccupations;themindisthemind.Thefactthatthemindispleasedorpained,goodorbad,isbecauseitfallsforitspreoccupations.Ifitdoesn’tfallforitspreoccupations,ithasnoissues.Itdoesn’twaver.Thisconditioniscalledaconditionofawareness.Allthethingsthatitknowsaremanifestationsofthepropertiesandelements.Theysimplyariseandpassaway,ariseandpassaway.

Eventhoughyousensethis,youcan’tyetletgo.Butatthispoint,whetheryoucanorcan’tletgodoesn’tmatter.Simplyholdtothisawarenessorthisperceptionasafirststageindealingwiththemind.Youkeepgoinginward,grindingdownandkillingyourdefilementscontinually.

Andwhenyouthensee,themindwithdraws.OurForemostTeacherorthetextscallthisthe“change-of-lineagemind”(gotarabhū-citta).Thisisthemindtranscendingthehumanlineage—themindofarun-of-the-millperson—andheadingtowardbeinganobleone,whichcomesoutofrun-of-the-millpeoplelikeus.Thegotarabhūindividualstepsintothenibbānamindbutcan’tyetgoalltheway.Hewithdrawstocontinuepracticingonanotherlevel.Tocomparethiswithaperson,it’slikeapersonwho’stryingtocrossastream.Onefootisonthisbankofthestream;theotherfootisonthefarbankofthestream.Herealizesthatthereisathisbankandafarbank,buthecan’tyetgetacross.Sohepullsback.Thestateofunderstandingthatthereisbothathisbankandafarbank:That’sthegotarabhūindividualorthegotarabhūmind.Whatthismeansisthatheunderstandsbutcan’tyetgetacross.Hepullsbackafterrealizingthatthesethingsexist.Thenhecarrieson,developinghisperfections.Heseesthatthisisforsure,thatthisisthewaythingsare,andthathe’sgoingtohavetoendupgoingrightthere.

Toputitinsimpleterms,atthispointweseetheconditionofourpractice:thatifwereallycontemplatewhat’shappened,we’llseethatthemindhasapathitwillhavetofollow.Weknowthefirststepofthepathisthatgladnessandsadnessarenotthepathforustofollow.We’resuretounderstandthis—andthat’sthewayitreallyis.Ifyou’reglad,it’snotthepathbecauseitcangiverisetostress.Ifyou’resad,itcangiverisetostress.Wethinkintheseterms,butwecan’tyetletthesethingsgo.

Sowherewillwegosothatit’sright?Wetakegladnessandsadness,putthemoneitherside,andtrytowalkrightdownthemiddle.Whenwekeepthisinmind,we’re

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rightonthepath.Wecomprehendthis,butwecan’tyetdoit.Aslongaswecan’tyetdoit,thenifwegetstuckonpleasureorpain,wealwaysknowwe’restuck—andthat’swhenwecanberight.Whenthemindisstuckonpleasureinthisway,wedon’tapproveofit.Whenthemindisstuckonpain,wedon’tdespiseit.Wenowgettowatchthem.Pleasureiswrong.Painiswrong.Weunderstandthatthey’renotthepath.Weknow,yeteventhoughweknow,wecan’tletthemgo.Wecan’tletthemgo,andyetweknow.Whenweknow,wedon’tapproveofpleasure,wedon’tapproveofpain.Wedon’tapproveofeitherofthem,andwehavenodoubts,forweknowthatthey’rethesameinnotbeingthepath.Thiswayisn’tthepath;thatwayisn’tthepath—sowetakethemiddleasourconstantpreoccupation.

Ifwecangainreleasefrompleasureandpain,thiswillappearasthepath.Ourmindwillstepintoitandknow,butitcan’tyetgoalltheway.Soitwithdrawstocontinuepracticing.

Whenpleasurearisesandwegetstuckonit,wetakethepleasureuptocontemplate.Whenpainarisesandwegetstuckonit,wetakethepainuptocontemplate—untilourknowledgeisequaltothepleasure,equaltothepain:That’swhenthemindwillletgoofpleasure,letgoofpain,letgoofgladness,letgoofsadness.Itletsgoofalltheseworlds.Themindcanbecomelokavidū,expertwithregardtoworlds.Whenitletsgo,whentheknowerletsgo,itsettlesrightdownatthatspot.Whycanitsettlethere?Becauseitalreadyenteredtherebefore—thatspotthatitknewbutcouldn’tgoto.

Sowhenthemindisstuckonpleasureandpain,andyetwedon’tfallforthem,wekeeptryingtoclearthemaway:That’swhenwereachthelevelofayogāvacara—apersontravelingthepathbutnotyetreachingtheend.

Theseconditionsarethingswecanfocusoninthemomentsofourownmind.Wedon’thavetoexamineanypreoccupationsatall.Whenwe’restuckoneitherside,wemakeourselvesknowthatthey’rewrongforsure,becausebothsidesarestuckintheworld.Pleasureisstuckintheworld.Painisstuckintheworld.Whenwe’restuckintheworld,theworldcancomeintobeing.Why?Thisworldcancomeintobeingandgetestablishedbecauseourknowledgeisn’tquickenough.Theworlddoesn’tcomeintobeingfromanythingelse.Andbecauseourknowledgeisn’tquickenough,weenterinandlabelthings,fabricatefabrications.

Righthereiswherethepracticeisfun.Whateverwe’restuckon,weattackitrightawaywithoutlettingup.Ifwe’restuckonpleasure,weattackitrightaway.Theminddoesn’tletup.Ifwe’restuckonpain,wecatchitrightawayandcontemplateit.

Thisiswherethethreadisabouttoentertheeyeoftheneedle.Theminddoesn’tletuponthesepreoccupations—anditdoesn’tresistthepractice.Evenwhenwe’rewrong,weknowwe’rewrong.Themindisn’theedless.Thatbigmindisn’theedless.

It’skindoflikewalkingalongandsteppingonathorn.Wedon’twanttostepon

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thorns,we’reascarefulascanbe,andyetwestillsteponit.Arewecontenttosteponit?Whenwesteponit,we’renotcontentwhenweknowthepath.Weknowthatthisistheworld,thisisstress,thisisthecycle.Weknow—andyetwestillsteponitanyhow.Themindgoesalongwithpleasure—happyorsad—andyetwe’renotcontent.Wetrytoeradicatethesethings,eradicatetheworldoutofthemindatalltimes.Themindatthispointkeepsbuilding,practicing,developing:Thisistheeffortofthepractice.Themindcontemplates,talkstoitselfaboutwhat’shappeninginsideit.

Thesesortsofthings:Whentheminduprootsaworld,itkeepsmovinginward,movinginward.Atthispointalltheknowers,whentheyknow,simplyknowwithoutreacting.Theirknowledgeisequaltothings,totallyclear,andtheydon’ttakepartinanythingatall.They’renotslavestoanyone.Theydon’ttakepartinanything.Theyknow,buttheydon’ttake.Theyknowandputthingsdown.Theyknowandletgo.There’sstillpleasurethere,there’sstillpain—whateverthereis,it’sstillthere,buttheminddoesn’ttakeitup.

Whenweseethis,weknow:Oh.Thisiswhatthemindislike;thisiswhatpreoccupationsarelike.Themindseparatesfrompreoccupations.Preoccupationsseparatefromthemind.Themindisthemind.Preoccupationsarepreoccupations.Whenyou’reawareofboththesethings,thenwhentheymakecontact,youknowrightthen.Whenthemindmakescontactwithpreoccupations,youknowrightthen.

Whenthepracticeofayogāvacarasensesthisatalltimes—whetherstanding,walking,sitting,orlyingdown—that’scalledpracticingthepracticeintheshapeofacircle.It’srightpractice.Wedon’tlosepresenceofmind.Wedon’tlooksimplyatcrudethings.Welookinwardlyatthingsthatarerefined.Weputexternalmattersasideandwatchjustthemindandthebody,orjustthemindanditspreoccupations.Wewatchthemarise,watchthemdisband,watchthemariseanddisband,watchthemdisbandandarise—disbanding,arising,arising,disbanding,disbandingandthenarising,arisingandthendisbanding—untilultimatelywewatchjustthedisbanding:khaya-vaya,ending,disintegrating.Endinganddisintegratingaretheirnormalnature.

Whenthemindislikethis,itdoesn’ttracethingsanywhere.It’suponwhatit’sdoing.Whenitsees,itsimplysees,that’sall.Whenitknows,itsimplyknows,that’sall.Itdoesthisonitsown.Thisissomethingthatcan’tbefabricated.

Sodon’tgogropingaroundinyourpractice.Don’thaveanydoubts.Thisappliestoyourfollowingtheprecepts,asI’vealreadysaid.Contemplatetoseewhat’swrongandwhat’snot.Whenyou’veseenthatit’swrong,abandonit.Don’thaveanydoubts.Thesamewithyourconcentration:Keepmakingthemindquiet,makingitpeaceful.Iftherearethoughts,don’tworryaboutit.Iftherearenothoughts,don’tworryaboutit.Getacquaintedwiththeworkingsofthemind.Somepeoplewantthemindtobepeacefulbuttheydon’tunderstandpeace.Theydon’tunderstandthepeaceofthemind.

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Therearetwokindsofpeace:thepeaceofconcentrationandthepeaceofdiscernment.Thepeaceofconcentrationisdeluded,verydeluded.Thepeaceofconcentrationcomeswhenthemindgrowsstillfromnothavinganypreoccupations—andthenitgetsstuckonthepleasure.Butwhenitmeetsupwithpreoccupations,itcrumbles.It’safraidofpreoccupations,afraidofpleasure,afraidofpain,afraidofcriticism,afraidofpraise,afraidofsights,sounds,smells,tastes.Thiskindofconcentrationisafraidofeverything.Onceyougainit,youdon’twanttocomeouttotherestoftheworld.Apersonwiththiskindofconcentrationstaysonlyincaves,feedingonpleasure,anddoesn’twanttocomeout.Whereverit’squiet,that’swherehegoestohideout.It’sreallystressful,thiskindofconcentration.Youcan’tcomeoutandlivewithotherpeople.Youcan’tstandtolookatsights,listentosounds—youcan’tstandtoexperienceanything.Youhavetokeepstayinginaquietplace;youcan’tletanyonespeak.Theplacehastobequiet.

Thiskindofpeaceisuseless.Whenyoureachthatlevelofpeace,youhavetocomeout.TheBuddhaneversaidtopracticeinthatway.Ifyou’repracticinginthatway,stop.Whenyou’repeaceful,comeouttocontemplate.Usethepeaceofthemindtocontemplate.Applyittopreoccupations.Useittocontemplatesights,sounds,smells,tastes,tactilesensations,andideas.Firstcomeoutandthenusethepeacetocontemplate.Forinstance,youcancontemplatehairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin—thesekindsofthings.Contemplateinconstancy,stress,andnot-self.Contemplatetheentireworld.

Onceyou’veusedthepeaceofthemindtocontemplate,thenwhenthetimecomestobequiet,sitinconcentrationandletthemindgrowpeacefulinwardly.Thenbringthepeaceoutagaintocontemplate.Useittotrainyourself,tocleansethemind,tocontendwiththings.Whenyoudevelopawareness,bringitouttocontendwiththings.Useittotrainyourself,topractice—becauseifyourawarenessstaysonlyinthere,youwon’tknowanything.Itsimplypacifiesthemind.Keepbringingitouttocontemplatewhat’soutsideandthenletitgobackintobequiet,likethisoverandoveragainuntilthemind’sbiglevelofpeacearises.

Asforthepeaceofdiscernment:Whenthemindispeacefulandthencomesout,discernmentisn’tafraidofsights,sounds,smells,tastes,tactilesensations,orideas.It’sfearless.Assoonasthesethingsmakecontact,itknowsthem.Assoonastheymakecontact,itdiscardsthem,putsthemdown,letsthemgo.Thisisthepeaceofdiscernment.

Whenthemindreachesthisstage,it’smorerefinedthanthepeaceofconcentration.Ithaslotsofstrength.Whenithaslotsofstrength,itdoesn’trunaway.Whenithasstrength,it’snotafraid.Before,wewereafraidofthesethings,butnowthatweknowthem,we’renotafraid.Weknowourstrength.Whenweseeasight,wecontemplatethesight.Whenwehearasound,wecontemplatethesound.That’s

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becausewecancontemplate.Wecanholdourground.We’refearless.Brave.Whateverthemanifestationsofthingslikesights,sounds,orsmells,whenweseethemtoday,weletthemgotoday.Whatevertheyare,wecanletthemallgo.Weseepleasure,weletitgo.Weseepain,weletitgo.Whereverweseethesethings,weletthemgorightthere.Mmm.Weletthemgorightthere,discardthemrightthere,continually.Wedon’ttakeupanythingasapreoccupation.Weleavethingswheretheyare.We’vecometoourhome.

Whenweseesomething,wediscardit.Whateverwesee,welook.Whenwe’velooked,weletgo.Allthesethingscometohavenovalue.Theycan’tdoanythingtous.Thisisthestrengthofinsight(vipassanā).Whenwereachthisstage,wechangethenameto“insight.”Weseethingsclearlyinlinewiththetruth.That’sit:Weseethingsclearlyinlinewiththetruth.Thisisahigherlevelofpeace:thepeaceofinsight.

Thepeacethatcomesthroughconcentrationishard.It’sreallyhard,forit’sreallyafraid.Sowhenthemindisfullypeaceful,whatdoyoudo?Youbringitouttotrain,tocontemplate.Don’tbeafraid.Don’tstaystuck.Whenyoudoconcentration,youtendtogetstuckonnothingbutpleasure.Yetyoucan’tjustsitthereanddonothing.Comeout.Whenthere’sabattle,you’retaughttofight.Youcan’tjuststayinafoxholeandavoidthebullets.Whenthetimecomesreallytodobattle,whenthegunsarefiring—boom!boom!—thenifyou’reinafoxhole,you’vegottocomeout.Whenthetimereallycomes,youcan’tfightbycrouchinginafoxhole.It’sthesamehere.Youcan’tletthemindstaytherecowering.

Thisiswhatyouhavetopassthroughinthebeginningstageswithvirtueandconcentration.Youhavetotrainyourselftoexploreinlinewiththeestablishedmapsandmethods.That’sthepathyouhavetofollow.

Atanyrate,whatI’vetoldyouhereisjustasketch.Whenyoupractice,don’thaveanydoubts.Don’tdoubttheseinstructions.Whenthere’spleasure,lookatpleasure.Whenthere’spain,lookatpain.Asyoulookatit,trytogrinditdown,killit,putitdown,letitgo.Whenyouknowpreoccupations,keeplettingthemgo.Whetheryouwanttositinconcentration,dowalkingmeditation,orthinkaboutthings,itdoesn’tmatter.Trytomakeyourawarenessuptothemoment,equaltowhat’sgoingoninthemind.Ifyou’rethinkingalot,gatherallyourthoughtstogetherandcutthemoffinthisway:“Thethingsyou’rethinking,thethingsyou’redescribingarenothingbutthoughts,that’sall.Allthesethingsareinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.Noneofthemareforsure.”Discardthemrightthenandthere.

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IntheShapeofaCircle

Atalkgiventoavisitingmonkwhowasgettingdiscouragedinhispractice.

WHENITCOMESTOTHEDHAMMA,wehavetounderstandthatouropinionsareonething;theDhammaissomethingelse.

Asforthepractice,startoutbyestablishingyourpowersofenduranceandthencontemplate.Contemplateyouractivities,yourcomingsandgoings.Contemplatewhatyou’reupto.Whateverarises,theBuddhahasusknowallaround.Whateverdirectionthingscomeinfrom,hehasusknowallaround.Ifweknowallaround,whatevercomesatusfromthisway,weseeit.Whatevercomesatusfromthatway,weseeit.Rightweknow.Wrongweknow.Happyweknow.Gladweknow.Weknowallaround.

Butourminds,whentheycontemplate,aren’tyetallaround.Weknowjustthissidebutleavethatsidewideopen.It’slikeputtingafencearoundafieldorahousebutitdoesn’tgoallaround.Ifweputitupjustonthisside,thieveswillcomeinthatside,thesidethatthefencehasn’tgonearound.Whyisthat?Wehaven’tclosedthegate.Ourfenceisn’tyetgood.It’snormalthatthey’llhavetocomethroughthatopening.Sowecontemplateagain,addingmorefence,closingthingsoff,continually.

Puttingupafencemeansestablishingmindfulnessandalwaysbeingalert.Ifwedothis,theDhammawon’tgoanywhereelse.It’llcomerighthere.Goodandbad,theDhammaweshouldseeandshouldknow,willariserighthere.

Asforwhateverwedon’tneedtoknow,weletitgoforthetimebeing.Wedon’twasteourtimewiththelogswearen’tyetstrongenoughtolift.Waituntilwehaveatractororaten-wheeltruckbeforetryingtomovethem.Focusforthetimebeingjustonthethingsyoucanlift.Keepatit,usingyourpowersofendurance,bitbybit.

Ifyoustickwiththissteadily,yourhappymoodsandsadmoods,yourdesirablemoodsandundesirablemoods,willallcomeinrightthere.That’swhenyougettowatchthem.

Yourmoodsandpreoccupationsareonething;themindissomethingelse.They’retwodifferentkindsofthings.Usuallywhenamoodhits,onethatwelike,wegorunningafterit.Ifit’sonewedon’tlike,weturnourbacksonit.Whenthisisthecase,wedon’tseeourownmind.Wejustkeeprunningafterourmoods.Themoodisthemood;themindisthemind.Youhavetoseparatethemouttoseewhatthemind

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islike,whatthemoodislike.Aswhenwe’resittingherestill:Wefeelatease.Butifsomeonecomesalongand

insultsus,wegorunningafterthemood.We’veleftourspot.Themindthatgetsdeludedbythemoodgoesrunningafterthemood.Webecomeamoodyperson,apersonwhopanderstohismoods.

Youhavetounderstandthatallyourmoodsarelies.There’snothingtruetothematall.They’refarfromtheBuddha’steachings.Alltheycandoislietousabouteverythingofeverysort.TheBuddhataughtustomeditatetoseetheirtruth—thetruthoftheworld.

Theworldisourmoods,ourpreoccupations.Ourpreoccupationsaretheworld.Ifwearen’tacquaintedwiththeDhamma,aren’tacquaintedwiththemind,aren’tacquaintedwithourpreoccupations,wegrabontothemindanditspreoccupationsandgetthemallmixedup.“Whew!Mymindfeelsnoease.”It’slikeyouhavemanyminds,andthey’reallinaturmoil.Actually,that’snotthecase.Youdon’thavemanyminds.Youhavemanymoodsandpreoccupations.We’renotacquaintedwithourownmind,sowekeeprunningafterourpreoccupations.Ifyousitmeditatinglikethat,thingsjustkeeprunningalonginthatway.

TheBuddhataughtustolookatthingsrightthere,rightwheretheyarise.Whentheyarise,theydon’tstay.Theydisband.Theydisbandandthentheyarise.Whentheyarise,theydisband—butwedon’twantthemtobethatway.Whenthemindisquiet,wewantittokeeponbeingquiet.Wedon’twantittogetstirredup.Wewanttobeatourease.Ourviewsareinoppositiontothetruth.TheBuddhataughtusfirsttoseethesethingsallaround,fromallsides.Onlythenwillthemindreallybequietandstill.Aslongaswedon’tknowthesethings,aslongaswedon’tunderstandourmoods,webecomeamoodyperson.Welayclaimtoourmoods.Thisturnsintostubbornnessandpride.

Whenweseethishappening,theBuddhatellsustoturnourattentiontocontemplatingrightthere:“Thiskindofthinkingisthinking;thiskindofknowingisknowing;whenthingsarelikethis,they’relikethis.”Tellyourselfthatthesethingssimplyfollowtheirownnature.Thisiswhatmoodsarelike.Thisiswhatthemindislike.Whenthisisthewaythingsare,whatcanyoudotobeatyourease?Whatcanyoudotobeatyourease?Well,justcontemplaterightthere.

Wedon’twantthingstobelikethat:That’sthereasonforourdiscomfort.Nomatterwhereyougotorunawayfromthesethings,they’restilljustlikethat.Soweshouldunderstandthatthesethingsarejustthewaytheyare,that’sall.That’sthetruth.Toputitsimply,that’stheBuddha,butwedon’tseehimthere.Wethinkit’sDevadatta,nottheBuddhaatall.TheinconstancyoftheDhamma—inconstancy,stress,andnot-self:There’snothingwrongwiththesethings.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Weplacetoomanylabelsandintentionsonthem.Whenyoucanseethat

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happening,it’sreallygood.Toputinsimpleterms:Supposethatwhenyousitinconcentrationtodaythe

mindisstill.Youthinktoyourself,“Mmm.Thisisreallynice.”Justsittingthere,youfeelatease.Thiskeepsupfortwoorthreedays.“Mmm.Ireallylikethis.”Thenthenextdaywhenyousitdowntomeditate,it’slikesittingonaredants’nest.Youcan’tstayseated.Nothingworks.You’reallupset.Youaskyourself,“Whyisn’titliketheotherday?Whywasitsocomfortablethen?”Youcan’tstopthinkingabouttheotherday.Youwantittobeliketheotherday.Rightthereiswhereyou’redeluded.

Preoccupationschange.They’renotconstantorsure;they’renotstable.Theyjustkeepfollowingtheirnature.TheBuddhataughtustoseethatthat’sthewaytheyare.Whateverarisesisjustoldstuffcomingback.There’snothingtoit,butwefixlabelsandmakerulesaboutthings:“ThisIlike.ThisIdon’tlike.”Whateverwelikemakesushappy—happybecauseofourdelusion:happybecauseofourdelusion,nothappybecauseit’sright.

Whenthemindisquiet,theBuddhatellsusnottobeintoxicatedbyit.Whenit’sdistracted,hetellsusnottobeintoxicatedbyit.Thingshappeninallkindsofways.There’saddition,subtraction,multiplication,anddivision.That’showwecancalculatenumbers,butwewanttheretobejustmultiplicationsothatwecanhavelotsofeverything.Wewanttodoawaywithaddition,doawaywithsubtraction,doawaywithdivision—andourcalculationswillallbestupid.Ifwehadnothingbutmultiplication,wouldwehaveanyspacetoputeverything?Ifthat’showwethink,we’llstayinaturmoil.TheBuddhasaidthatthatsortofthinkinghasnodiscernment.

Stillnessofmind—tranquility—comesfrombeingfarawayfrompreoccupations.Ifyoudon’thearmuchofanything,themindsettlesdownandisstill.Togetthiskindofstillness,youhavetogooffintoseclusion,toaplacethat’squietandstill.Ifyoucangetawayfromyourpreoccupations,notseeingthis,notknowingaboutthat,themindcansettledown.Butthat’slikeadisease,adiseaselikecancer.There’saswellingbutitdoesn’tyethurt.It’snotyettormentingus,itdoesn’tyethurt,soweseemtobewell—asiftherewerenodefilementsinthemind.

That’swhatthemindislikeattimeslikethat.Aslongasyoustaythere,it’squiet.Butwhenitcomesouttolookatsightsandhearsounds,that’stheendofit.It’snotatitseaseanymore.Howcanyoukeeponstayingalonelikethatsoasnottoseesights,hearsounds,smellaromas,tasteflavors,ortouchtactilesensations?Wherecanyougo?There’snoplaceintheworldlikethatatall.

TheBuddhawantedustoseesights,hearsounds,smellaromas,tasteflavors,ortouchtactilesensations:hot,cold,hard,soft.Hewantedustobeacquaintedwitheverything.Hedidn’twantustorunawayandhide.Hewantedustolookand,whenwe’velooked,tounderstand:“Oh.That’sthewaythesethingsare.”Hetoldustogiverisetodiscernment.

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Howdowegiverisetodiscernment?TheBuddhasaidthatit’snothard—ifwekeepatit.Whendistractionsarise:“Oh.It’snotforsure.It’sinconstant.”Whenthemindisstill,don’tsay,“Oh.It’sreallyniceandstill.”That,too,isn’tforsure.Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,giveitatry.

Supposethatyoulikeacertainkindoffoodandyousay,“Boy,doIreallylikethisfood!”Tryeatingiteveryday.Howmanymonthscouldyoukeepitup?Itwon’tbetoolongbeforeyousay,“Enough.I’msickandtiredofthis.”Understand?“I’mreallysickandtiredofthis.”You’resickandtiredofwhatyouliked.

Wedependonchangeinordertolive,sojustacquaintyourselfwiththefactthatit’sallinconstant.Pleasureisn’tforsure;painisn’tforsure;happinessisn’tforsure;stillnessisn’tforsure,distractionisn’tforsure.Whatever,itallisn’tforsure.Whateverarises,youshouldtellit:“Don’ttrytofoolme.You’renotforsure.”Thatwayeverythinglosesitsvalue.Ifyoucanthinkinthatway,it’sreallygood.Thethingsyoudon’tlikeareallnotforsure.Everythingthatcomesalongisn’tforsure.It’sasiftheyweretryingtosellyouthings,buteverythinghasthesameprice:It’snotforsure—notforsureinanywayatall.Inotherwords,it’sinconstant.Itkeepsmovingbackandforth.

Toputitsimply,that’stheBuddha.Inconstancymeansthatnothing’sforsure.That’sthetruth.Whydon’tweseethetruth?Becausewehaven’tlookedtoseeitclearly.“WhoeverseestheDhammaseestheBuddha.”Ifyouseetheinconstancyofeachandeverything,yougiverisetonibbidā:disenchantment.“That’sallthisis:nobigdeal.That’sallthatis:nobigdeal.”Theconcentrationinthemindis—nobigdeal.

Whenyoucandothat,it’snolongerhardtocontemplate.Whateverthepreoccupation,youcansayinyourmind,“Nobigdeal,”anditstopsrightthere.Everythingbecomesemptyandinvain:everythingthat’sunsteady,inconstant.Itmovesaroundandchanges.It’sinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.It’snotforsure.

It’slikeapieceofironthat’sbeenheateduntilit’sredandglowing:Doesithaveanyspotwhereit’scool?Trytouchingit.Ifyoutouchitontop,it’shot.Ifyoutouchitunderneath,it’shot.Ifyoutouchitonthesides,it’shot.Whyisithot?Becausethewholethingisapieceofred-hotiron.Wherecouldithaveacoolspot?That’sthewayitis.Whenthat’sthewayitis,wedon’thavetogotouchingit.Weknowit’shot.Ifyouthinkthat“Thisisgood;Ireallylikeit,”don’tgiveityoursealofguarantee.It’sared-hotpieceofiron.Whereveryoutouchit,whereveryouholdontoit,it’llimmediatelyburnyouineveryway.

Sokeeponcontemplating.Whetheryou’restandingorwalkingorwhatever—evenwhenyou’reonthetoiletoronyouralmsround:Whenyoueat,don’tmakeitabigdeal.Whenthefoodcomesouttheotherend,don’tmakeitabigdeal.Whateveritis,it’sinconstant.It’snotforsure.It’snottruthfulinanyway.It’sliketouchingared-hot

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pieceofiron.Youdon’tknowwhereyoucantouchitbecauseit’shotallover.Soyoujuststoptouchingit.“Thisisinconstant.That’sinconstant.”Nothingatallisforsure.

Evenourthoughtsareinconstant.Whyaretheyinconstant?They’renot-self.They’renotours.Theyhavetobethewaytheyare.They’reunstableandinconstant.Boileverythingdowntothat.Whateveryoulikeisn’tforsure.Nomatterhowmuchyoulikeit,itisn’tforsure.Whateverthepreoccupation,nomatterhowmuchyoulikeit,youhavetotellyourself,“Thisisn’tforsure.Thisisunstableandinconstant.”Andkeeponwatching….

Likethisglass:It’sreallypretty.Youwanttoputitawaysothatitdoesn’tbreak.Butit’snotforsure.Onedayyouputitrightnexttoyourselfandthen,whenyoureachforsomething,youhititbymistake.Itfallstothefloorandbreaks.It’snotforsure.Ifitdoesn’tbreaktoday,it’llbreaktomorrow.Ifitdoesn’tbreaktomorrow,it’llbreakthenextday—forit’sbreakable.We’retaughtnottoplaceourtrustinthingslikethis,becausethey’reinconstant.

Thingsthatareinconstant:TheBuddhataughtthatthey’rethetruth.Thinkaboutit.Ifyouseethatthere’snotruthtothings,that’sthetruth.That’sconstant.Forsure.Whenthere’sbirth,therehastobeaging,illness,anddeath.That’ssomethingconstantandforsure.

What’sconstantcomesfromthingsthataren’tconstant.Wesaythatthingsareinconstantandnotforsure—andthatturnseverythingaround:That’swhat’sconstantandforsure.Itdoesn’tchange.Howisitconstant?It’sconstantinthatthat’sthewaythingskeeponbeing.Evenifyoutrytogetintheway,youdon’thaveaneffect.Thingsjustkeeponbeingthatway.Theyariseandthentheydisband,disbandandthenarise.That’sthewayitiswithinconstancy.That’showitbecomesthetruth.TheBuddhaandhisnobledisciplesawakenedbecauseofinconstantthings.

Whenyouseeinconstancy,theresultisnibbidā:disenchantment.Disenchantmentisn’tdisgust,youknow.Ifyoufeeldisgust,that’swrong,thewrongkindofdisenchantment.Disenchantmentisn’tlikeournormaldisgust.Forexample,ifyoulivewithyourwifeandchildrentothepointwhereyougetsickandtiredofthem,that’snotdisenchantment.It’sactuallyabigdefilement;itsqueezesyourheart.Ifyourunawayfromthingslikethat,it’sbeingsickandtiredbecauseofdefilement.That’snotnibbidā.It’sactuallyaheavydefilement,butwethinkit’sdisenchantment.

Supposethatyou’rekindtopeople.Whateveryouhave,youwanttogivetothem.Yousympathizewiththem,youseethatthey’reprettyandlovelyandgoodtoyou.Yourdefilementsarenowcomingaroundfromtheotherside.Watchout!That’snotkindnessthroughtheDhamma;it’sselfishkindness.Youwantsomethingoutofthem,whichiswhyyou’rekindtothem.

It’sthesamewithdisenchantment.“I’msickandtiredofthis.I’mnotgoingtostayanylonger.I’mfedup.”That’snotrightatall.It’sabigdefilement.It’s

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disenchantmentonlyinname.TheBuddha’sdisenchantmentissomethingelse:leavingthingsalone,putting

themdown.Youdon’tkillthem,youdon’tbeatthem,youdon’tpunishthem,you’renotnicetothem.Youjustputthemdown.Everything.Thesamewitheverything.That’showithastobe.Onlythencanyousaythatyourmindhasletgo,thatit’sempty:emptyofclinging,emptyofattachment.

Emptinessdoesn’tmeannobodyexists.Orlikethisglass:It’snotthecasethatithastonotexistforustosaythatit’sempty.Thisthermosexists;peopleexist;everythingexists,butthosewhoknowfeelintheirheartsthatthesethingsaretruths,they’renotforsure,theysimplyfollowtheirconditions:They’redhammasthatariseanddisband,that’sall.

Takethisthermos:Ifwelikeit,itdoesn’treactorsayanything.Thelikingisallonourside.Evenifwehateitandthrowitintothewoods,itstilldoesn’treact.Itdoesn’trespondtous.Why?Becauseit’sjustthewayitis.Welikeitordislikeitbecauseofourownattachment.Weseethatit’sgoodornogood.Theviewthatit’sgoodsqueezesourheart.Theviewthatit’snogoodsqueezesourheart.Botharedefilements.

Soyoudon’thavetorunawayfromthingslikethis.Justunderstandthisprincipleandkeepcontemplating.That’sallthereistoit.Themindwillseethatthesethingsarenobigdeal.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Ifwehatethem,theydon’trespond.Ifwelikethem,theydon’trespond.We’resimplycrazyofourownaccord.Nothingdisturbsus,butwegetallworkedup.Trytoseeeverythinginthisway.

It’sthesamewiththebody;it’sthesamewiththemind;it’sthesamewiththemoodsandpreoccupationsthatmakecontact:Seethemasinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Wesufferbecausewedon’twantthemtobethatway.Wewanttogetthingsthatwesimplycan’tget.

Istheresomethingyouwant?“Iguessit’slikewhenIwantconcentration.Iwantthemindtobequiet.”Okay,it’struethatyouwantthat.Butwhat’sthecausethatkeepsyourmindfrom

beingquiet?TheBuddhasaysthatallthingsarisefromcauses,butwewantjusttheresults.Weeatwatermelonsbutwe’veneverplantedanywatermelons.Wedon’tknowwheretheycomefrom.Weseewhenthey’reslicedopenandthey’reniceandred:“Mmm.Lookssweet.”Wetryeatingthem,andtheytastegoodandsweet,butthat’sallweknow.Whywatermelonsarethewaytheyare,wehavenoidea.

That’sbecausewearen’tall-around.All-aroundinwhatway?It’slikewateringvegetables.Whereverweforgettowaterdoesn’tgrow.Whereverweforgettogivefertilizerdoesn’tgrow.Contemplatethisprincipleandyou’llgiverisetodiscernment.

Whenyou’vefinishedwiththingsoutside,youlookatyourownmind.Lookat

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theaffairsofyourbodyandmind.Nowthatwe’reborn,whydowesuffer?Wesufferfromthesameoldthings,butwehaven’tthoughtthemthrough.Wedon’tknowthemthoroughly.Wesufferbutwedon’treallyseesuffering.Whenweliveathome,wesufferfromourwifeandchildren,butnomatterhowmuchwesuffer,wedon’treallyseesuffering—sowekeeponsuffering.

It’sthesamewhentheminddoesn’tgetconcentrated.Wedon’tknowwhyitwon’tgetconcentrated.Wedon’treallyseewhat’sactuallyarising.TheBuddhatoldustolookforthecausesofwhat’sarising.Allthingsarisefromcauses.

It’slikeputtingwaterinabottleandgivingittosomeonetodrink.Oncehe’sfinisheddrinkingit,he’llhavetocomebackandaskformore—forthewaterisn’twaterinaspring.It’swaterinabottle.Butifyoushowthespringtothepersonandtellhimtogetwaterthere,hecansitthereandkeepondrinkingwaterandwon’taskyouforanymore,forthewaterneverrunsout.

It’sthesamewhenweseeinconstancy,stress,andnot-self.Itgoesdeep,forwereallyknow,weknowallthewayin.Ordinaryknowledgedoesn’tknowallthewayin.Ifweknowallthewayin,itnevergrowsstale.Whateverarises,it’salreadyright.Whenitdisbands,it’salreadyright.Asaresult,it’srightwithoutstop.

Theviewthatsays,“That’sthewayitis.It’srightthewayitis”:That’swhenyou’vegotit.That’swhenyou’reskilledandatease.Youdon’thavetosuffer.Theproblemsthatwegetinvolvedwithandclingtowillgraduallyunravel.AstheBuddhasaid,seesimplythatthingsariseandthendisband,disbandandthenarise,ariseandthendisband.KeepwatchingthisDhammaconstantly,doingitconstantly,developingitconstantly,cultivatingitconstantly,andyou’llarriveatasenseofdisenchantment.Disenchantedwithwhat?Disenchantedwitheverythingofeverysort.

Thethingsthatcomebywayoftheears,wealreadyunderstandthem;bywayoftheeyes,wealreadyunderstandthem;bywayofthenose,wealreadyunderstandthem;bywayofthetongue,wealreadyunderstandthem.Thethingsthatariseatthemind,wealreadyunderstandthem.They’reallthesamesortofthing—allofthem,thesamesortofthing:ekodhammo,oneDhamma.ThisDhammaisinconstant,stressful,andnot-self.Youshouldn’tclingtoanythingatall.Thatway,disenchantmentwillarise.

Whentheeyeseesaform,youalreadyunderstandit.Whentheearhearsasound,youalreadyunderstandit.Youunderstandallaboutit.Thesethingswillsometimesmakeushappy,sometimessad,sometimesmakeusfeellove,sometimesmakeusfeelhatred.Wealreadyknowallaboutthesesortsofthings.Ifweclingtothem,theyturnintoissues.Ifweletthemgo—letformsgothewayofforms,soundsthewayofsounds—ifwesendthembackandletthemgotheirownway:Whenwecanstayatthislevel,theBuddhasaidthatwe’llseeallaboutinconstancy.Whateverthepreoccupationsthatarise,they’reallemptyandinvain.They’realldeceptions.

Whenweseethroughthethingsthatusedtodeceiveus—whenwe’reintenton

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stayingatease,mindful,alert,anddiscerning—it’snotthatweseeanythingelse.Wesimplyseethatallthepreoccupationsthatarisearesimplythewaytheyare.Evenif,whilewe’resittingperfectlystill,themindthinksaboutthisorthat,itdoesn’tmatter.It’sjustanaffairofthinking.Youdon’thavetobelievewhatit’sthinkingabout.Ifthemindispeacefulandyoufeel,“Ah,it’sniceandpeaceful,”thepeacedoesn’tmatter,either.Peaceisinconstant,too.There’snothingbutthingsthatareinconstant.YoucansitandwatchtheDhammarightthere.Discernmentarises:Whatreasonistheretosuffer?

Wesufferoverthingsthatneveramounttomuch.Wewanttogetthis,wewantittobelikethat,wewanttobesomething.Ifyouwanttobeanarahant,youimmediatelysuffer,righthereandnow.Arahantshavestoppedwantingtobelikethisorlikethat,butwewanttogetthisandgetthat,tobethisandbethat—sowe’resuretosuffer.Ifyouseethatthisspotisgoodorthatspotisexcellent,itallcomesoutofyou.Ifyouseeyourself,that’stheendofsayingthingslikethat.

I’llgiveyouasimplecomparison.Thisfoodisgood.Thistrayisworththismanyhundreds;thattray,thismanytens.They’reallnothingbutgoodthings.Whenthey’reonplates:“Thisismine.Thisisyours.”Butwhenthey’vegoneintothestomachandcomeouttheotherend,nobodyarguesoverwhoseiswhose—orwouldyoustillwanttoargue?That’swhatit’slike.Whenyou’rewillingtoadmitthewaythingsare,that’sjustwhatit’slike.Ifwedon’treallyunderstand,weargueoverwhat’smineandwhat’syours.Butwhentheyallcometogetherasthesamesortofthing,nobodylaysanyclaims.They’resimplytheconditiontheyare.Nomatterhowwonderfulthefoodmightbe,whenitcomesouttheotherend,ifyouwantedtogiveitasagifttoyourbrothersandsisters,noonewouldwantit—orwouldyoustillwantit?Nobodywouldfightoveritatall.

Forthisreason,ifwegatherthingstogetherasekodhammo—onesingledhamma—andseethattheircharacteristicsareallthesame,itgivesrisetodisenchantment.Thisdisenchantmentisn’tdisgust.Themindsimplyloosensitsgrip,it’shadenough,it’sempty,it’ssoberedup.There’snolove,nohatred,nofixatingonanything.Ifyouhavethings,okay.Ifyoudon’t,it’sstillokay.You’reatease.Atpeace.

NibbānaṁparamaṁsukhaṁNibbānaṁparamaṁsuññaṁ.

Nibbānaistheultimatehappiness.Nibbānaistheultimatepeace,emptiness.Listencarefully.Worldlyhappinessisn’ttheultimatehappiness.Worldlyemptinessisn’ttheultimateemptiness.Theultimateemptinessisemptyofclinging.Theultimatehappinessispeace.There’speaceandthenthere’semptiness,theultimate

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emptiness.Atthemoment,though,themindisatpeacebutit’snotultimate.It’shappy,butit’snotultimate.

ThisiswhytheBuddhadescribednibbānaastheultimateemptiness,itshappinessastheultimatehappiness.Itchangesthenatureofhappinesstobepeace.It’shappybutnotfixatedonanyobject.Painsstillexist,butyouseethepainsandpleasuresthatariseasequaltoeachother.Theyhavethesameprice.Theobjectswelikeanddon’tlikeareequaltoeachother.

Butasforusrightnow,thesethingsaren’tequal.Theobjectswelikearereallypleasing.Theobjectswedon’tlike,wewanttosmash.Thatmeansthey’renotequal.Buttheirrealityisthatthey’reequal.Sothinkinawaythatmakesthemequal.They’renotstable.They’renotconstant—likethefoodImentionedjustnow.“Thisisgood.That’swonderful.”Butwhenthey’reallbroughttogether,they’reequal.Nobodysays,“Givemealittlemore.Ididn’tgetenough.”It’sallbeenbroughttogethertothewayitis.

Ifwedon’tdroptheprinciplesofinconstancy,stress,andnot-self,we’reonthepath.Weseewitheverymoment.Weseetheeye,weseethemind,weseethebody.

Likewhenyousitinmeditation.Afteramomentthemindgoesoffinaflash,soyoupullitback.Nomatterwhatyoudo,itwon’tstay.Tryholdingyourbreath.Willitgoawaythen?Yyb!Itgoes,butnotfar.It’snotgoingtogonow.Itcirclesaroundrighthere—becauseyourmindfeelslikeit’sabouttodie.

Thesamewithsounds.Ioncestuffedmyearswithbeeswax.Noisesbotheredme,soIstuffedmyears.Thingsweretotallyquiet,withjustthesoundfromwithinmyearsthemselves.WhydidIdoit?IcontemplatedwhatIwasdoing;Ididn’ttormentmyselfjustoutofstupidity.Ithoughtaboutthematter.“Oh.Ifpeoplecouldbecomenobleonesfromnothearinganything,theneverydeafpersonwouldbeanobleone.Everyblindpersonwouldbeanobleone.They’dallbearahants.”SoIlistenedtomythoughts,and—Oh!—discernmentarose.

“Isthereanyuseinstuffingyourears?Inclosingyoureyes?It’sself-torment.”ButIdidlearnfromit.Ilearnedandthenstoppeddoingit.Istoppedtryingtoclosethingsoff.

Don’tgowrestlingandattacking,don’tgocuttingdownthetrunksoftreesthathavealreadydied.Itgetsyounowhere.Youenduptiredandstandtherelookinglikeafool.

Theyweresuchawaste,sucharealwaste,myearlyyearsasameditator.WhenIthinkaboutthem,IseethatIwasreallydeluded.TheBuddhataughtustomeditatetogainreleasefromsuffering,butIsimplyscoopedupmoresufferingformyself.Icouldn’tsitinpeace,couldn’tliedowninpeace.

Thereasonweliveinphysicalseclusion(kāya-viveka)istogetthemindinmental

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seclusion(citta-viveka)fromtheobjectsthatstirupitsmoods.Thesethingsaresynonymsthatfollowoneaftertheother.Upadhi-vivekareferstoseclusionfromourdefilements:Whenweknowwhat’swhat,wecanpulloutofthem;wepulloutfromwhateverthestatethemindisin.Thisistheonlypurposeofphysicalseclusion.Ifyoudon’thaveanydiscernment,youcancreatedifficultiesforyourselfwhenyougooffintophysicalseclusion.

Whenyougoliveinthewilderness,don’tgetstuckonthewilderness.Ifyougetstuckonthewilderness,youbecomeamonkey.Whenyouseethetrees,youmissthetrees.Youstartjumpingaroundjustlikethemonkeyyouwerebefore.TheBuddhanevertaughtustobethisorbethat.Whenyouliveinapeacefulplace,themindbecomespeaceful.“Mmm.Peaceatlast.Themindisatpeace.”Butwhenyouleavethewilderness,isthemindatpeace?Notanymore.Sowhatdoyoudothen?

TheBuddhadidn’thaveusstayinthewilderness.Hehadususethewildernessasaplacetotrain.Yougotothewildernesstofindsomepeacesothatyourmeditationwilldevelop,sothatyou’lldevelopdiscernment.That’ssothatwhenyougointothecityanddealwithpeople,withsights,sounds,smells,tastes,andtactilesensations,you’llhavestrength,you’llhaveyourstrategies.You’llhaveyourfirmfoundationforcontemplatingthings,toseehowthey’renotforsure.Goingtothewildernessinthiswayissomethingthatcanreallyhelpgiveyoustrength.Ifyouthinkthatyoucanliveanywhere,thatyoucanlivewithlotsofpeople,it’slikeaknifewithadouble-edgedblade.Ifyoudon’thaveinnerstrength,youcancreatedifficultiesforyourself.

It’slikemonkswhostudytheAbhidhamma.TheysaythatwhenyoustudytheAbhidhammayoudon’thavetoclingtoanything,don’thavetofixateonanything.It’sniceandeasy.Youdon’thavetoobservetheprecepts.Youjustfocusrightonthemind.That’swhatmonkswhostudytheAbhidhammasay.

“Asforwomen,what’sthematterwithgettingnearthem?Womenarejustlikeourmothers.Weourselveswerebornrightoutofthatspot.”That’sbraggingtoomuch.Theyordainedjustyesterdayandyettheyrefusetobecarefularoundwomen.That’snottherealAbhidhamma.That’snotwhattheAbhidhammasays.

ButtheysaythattheAbhidhammaisonalevelhigherthanthehumanlevel.“Whenyou’rethathigh,itdoesn’tmatterwhetheryou’renearsomeoneornot.There’snonear,nofar.There’snothingtobeafraidof.Womenarepeoplejustlikeus.Justpretendthatthey’remen.Thatwayyoucangetnearthem,touchthem,feelthem.Justpretendthatthey’remen.”

Butisthatthesortofthingyoucanpretend?It’sadouble-edgedblade.IfweweretalkinggenuineAbhidhamma,therewouldn’tbeaproblem.ButthisAbhidhammaisfake.

TheBuddhataughtustoliveinthewilderness.Theproperway,whenamonkgoesintothewilderness,istostayinaquietplace;towanderinthequietwilderness;

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nottobeentangledwithfriendsandcompanionsandothersortsofthings.That’stherightwaytodoit.Butmostofusdon’tfollowtherightway.Weliveinaquietplaceandgetattachedtothequiet.Assoonasweseeaform,itgivesrisetodefilement.Inourearsthere’snothingbutdefilement.That’sgoingtoofar.Itlacksdiscernment.

Ifyoubringthingstogether,theycometogetheratthepath—therightpath,orrightview.That’swherethingscometogether.Ifyouhaverightview,youcanlivewithalargegroupofpeopleandthere’snoproblem.Youcanlivewithasmallgroupofpeopleandthere’snoproblem.Youcanliveintheforestorinacaveandthere’snoproblem.Butthisissomethingyoucan’tjustattainwithoutanyeffort.Youhavetogetsothat’sthewaythemindreallyis.

MakethemindknowtheDhamma.WhenitknowstheDhamma,makeitseetheDhamma.PracticetheDhammasothatthemindisDhamma.Youdon’twanttobeablejusttospeakabouttheDhamma.It’ssomethingverydifferent.TheBuddhataughtallthewaytothetruth,butweonlygohalfway,inhalfmeasures.That’swhyprogressisdifficult.

Ifwecometoliveinthewilderness,wegettotrainourselves—liketrainingourselvestogrowrice.Onceweplantit,itgrowsgradually.Ifnothingeatsit,it’sokay.Butwhathappens?Assoonasthericegrainsbegintoappear,ababywaterbuffalocomestoeatthem.Wechaseitawayandlookaftertheplant,butassoonasmoregrainsappearthebabywaterbuffalocomestoeatthemagain,keepsoneatingassoonasthegrainsbegintofillout.Ifthat’sthecase,howarewegoingtogetanyrice?

Thestrategiesyou’llneedwillgrowfromwithinthemind.Whoeverhasdiscernmentgainsintuitiveknowledge.Whoeverhasintuitiveknowledgegainsdiscernment.That’sthewayitis.Areintuitiveknowledgeanddiscernmentdifferentfromeachother?Ifyousaytheyaren’t,whyaretheretwodifferentwords?Oneiscalledintuitiveknowledge;oneiscalleddiscernment.Canyouhaveonlyintuitiveknowledge?No.Youneedtohavediscernment,too.Canyouhaveonlydiscernment?No.Youneedtohaveintuitiveknowledge,too.Whoeverhasdiscernmentgainsintuitiveknowledge.Whoeverhasintuitiveknowledgegainsdiscernment.Thesethingsarisefromyourownexperience.Youcan’tgolookingfortheminthisbookorthat.Theyariseinyourownmind.Don’tbetimid.

IoncereadinaJātakataleaboutourBuddhawhenhewasstillabodhisatta.Hewaslikeyou:Hehadordainedandencounteredalotofdifficulties,butwhenhethoughtofdisrobinghewasashamedofwhatotherpeoplewouldthink—thathehadordainedalltheseyearsandyetstillwantedtodisrobe.Still,thingsdidn’tgothewayhewanted,sohethoughthe’dleave.Hecameacrossasquirrelwhosebabyhadbeenblownintotheoceanbythewind.Hesawthesquirrelrunningdowntothewaterandthenbackupagain.Hedidn’tknowwhatitwasdoing.Itrandowntothewaterandstuckitstailinthewater,andthenranuptothebeachandshookoutitstail.Thenit

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randownandstuckitstailinthewateragain.Soheaskedit,“Whatareyoudoing?”“Oh,mybabyhasfallenintothewater.ImissitandIwanttofetchitout.”“Howareyougoingtodothat?”“I’mgoingtousemytailtobailwateroutoftheoceanuntilit’sdrysothatIcan

fetchmybabyout.”“Oho.Whenwilltheoceanevergodry?”“That’snottheissue.Thisisthewayitiswiththepractice.Youkeepbailingout

thewater,bailingoutthewater,anddon’tcarewhetheritevergoesdry.Whenyou’regoingtobeaBuddha,youcan’tabandonyourefforts.”

Whenthebodhisattaheardthis,itflashedinhisheart.Hegotupandpushedthroughwithhisefforts.Hedidn’tretreat.That’showhebecametheBuddha.

It’sthesamewithus.Whereverthingsaren’tgoingwell,that’swheretheywillgowell.Youmakethemhappenwheretheyaren’tyethappening.Whereveryou’redeluded,that’swhereknowledgewillarise.Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,spitrighthere.That’llmakeitdirty.Butwhenyouwipeitaway,it’llbecleanrighthere—rightwhereit’sdirty.Itwon’tbecomecleanoutthereinthegroundsofthemonastery.Keepcomingbacktothesameplaceoverandoveragain.

AjahnThongratoncesaidtome,“Chah,drilltheholerightinlinewiththedowel.”

That’sallhesaid.Ihadjuststartedpracticinganddidn’tunderstandwhathewassaying.

“Ifitcomeslow,jumpoveritshead.”That’swhathesaid.“Ifitcomeshigh,slipunderit.”Ididn’tknowwhathewassaying.SoIwentofftomeditateandkept

contemplatingit.Actually,hewastellingmehowtosolvemyproblems.“Drilltheholerightinline

withthedowel”means,“Wherevertheproblemarises,contemplaterightthere;whereveryou’redeluded,contemplaterightthere.Ifyou’reattachedtoasight,contemplatethesight.Rightaroundrightthere.”That’swhatitmeans,“Drilltheholerightinlinewiththedowel.”Don’tgodrillingfaraway.Drillrightthereatthedowel.

It’sthesameaswhenwesteponathorn.Youtakeaneedleandproberighttherewherethethornis.Don’tgoprobinganywhereelse.Proberightwherethethornisstuckinyourfoot.Evenifithurts,youhavetoendureit.Keepprobingallarounditandthenpryitout.That’showyougetthethornout.Ifthethornisstuckinyourfoot,butyougoprobingaroundyourrear,whenwillyoueverbedonewithit?

SoIcontemplatedthis.“Oh.Teachersmeditateinlinewiththelanguageoftheirownminds.Theydon’tgogropingaroundintheformulationsinthebooksthewaywedo.Theirownformulationsarisefromreality.”

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Sowhatcomeslowandwhatcomeshigh?“Ifitcomeslow,jumpoveritshead.Ifitcomeshigh,slipunderit.”Ikept

contemplatingthis.Herehewastalkingaboutmymoodsandpreoccupations.Someofthemcomelow;someofthemcomehigh.Youhavetowatchthemtoseehowyoucanavoidthem.Iftheycomelow,jumpovertheirheads.Iftheycomehigh,slipunderthem.Dowhatyoucansothattheydon’thityou.

Thisisthepractice.Youcontemplaterightwhereyou’redeludedsothatyou’llknowrightthere.Anyotherissueisjustduckshitandchickenshit.Youdon’thavetogogropingafterit.That’showyouhavetotakethingsoninmeditation.

Butactually,it’snotamatteroftaking.Youtakethemonbyabandoningthem.Thisishowthesuppositionsoflanguagehavethingsallbackwards.Youletthingsgo.Youpracticelettinggo.Youdon’thavetobecomeastream-winneroraonce-returner.Youdon’thavetomakethosesuppositions.Youdon’thavetobethosethings.Ifyouareanything,it’saturmoil.Ifyouarethisorarethat,youareaproblem.Soyoudon’thavetobeanything.There’snothingbutlettinggo—lettinggoandthenknowinginlinewithwhatthingsdo.Whenyouknowinlinewithwhatthingsdoineveryway,there’snomoredoubt.Andyouaren’tanything.

Thinkaboutitinasimpleway.Ifsomeoneyellsatyoubutyoudon’trearupinresponse,that’stheendofthematter.Itdoesn’treachyou.Butifyougrabholdofitandwon’tletgo,you’reinbadshape.Whyputtheirwordsintoyourself?Iftheyyellatyou,justleaveitatthat.Butiftheyyellatyouoverthereintheordinationhallandyoubringitintoyourearswhileyou’resittinghere,it’sasifyouliketosuffer.Thisiscallednotunderstandingsuffering.Youstirthingsupwithyourthinkingandgiverisetoallkindsofissues.

Thepracticeisactuallysomethingshort,andnotatalllong.Ifyousayit’slong,it’slongerthanlong.Ifyousayit’sshort,it’sshorterthanshort.Whenitcomestothepractice,youcan’tuseyourordinarywaysofthinking.

Youneedtohavepatienceandendurance.Youneedtomakeaneffort.Whateverhappens,youdon’thavetopickitupandcarryitaround.Whenthingsareacertainway,that’salltheyare.WhenweseetheDhammainthisway,wedon’tholdontoanything.Pleasureweknow.Painweknow.

TheBuddhaandhisarahantdisciples,whentheygainawakening:It’snotthecasethatcoconut-milksweetsaren’tsweetforthem.They’resweetinthesamewaythey’resweetforus.Whenthenobleoneseatasourtamarind,theysqueezetheireyesshutjustlikeus.Doyouunderstand?Thingsarejustthesamewaytheywerebefore,simplythatnobleonesdon’tholdontothemorgetfixatedonthem.Ifyouarguewiththemthatthetamarindissour,they’llsay,“Sourisfine.Sweetisfine.Neithersournorsweetisfine.”That’swhatthey’llsay.

Thesameprincipleapplieshere.Whenpeoplecomeandsaywrongthings,wecan

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hearthemanditdoesn’tmatter.Wejustleaveitatthat.Ifyoucandothis,theneventhoughyou’reasoldasyouarenow,youcanbeyoung.Youcangetalotyounger.

Youdon’thavetocarrythesethingsoveryourshoulder.I’veseensomeoldmonkswanderingdhutaṅga-style,butIdon’tknowwhatthey’regoingfor.Theycarryhugeumbrellatents.Oldmonksdon’tlikesmallumbrellatentsthewayyoungmonksdo,youknow.Theyliketocarryaroundbigumbrellatents.Inthemorningtheyfolduptheirumbrellatents.Assoonasthesuncomesup,theyfolduptheirtents.Theycan’tleavethemupintheopenfieldstoprotectthemselvesfromthewind,forthetentswon’tstanduptothewind.Sotheyfolduptheirtentsandcarrythemoffunderthehotsun.Thenintheeveningtheyputtheirumbrellatentsupagain.Idon’tknowwhy—there’snomoresun.Theywakeupthenextdayandfolduptheirtentsandcarrythemoffunderthehotsunagain.

IdidthissortofthinguntilIgotsickandtiredofit.Iwentwanderingdhutaṅga-stylebutendedupsufferinginthejungle.ThenIrealizedthatitwasn’tforthepurposeofsufferinginthejungle,soIkeptfindingmywayoutofthejungle.That’swhyIbecameafind-your-way-out-of-the-junglemonk.[HereAjahnChahisplayingwiththeThaiwordsfordhutaṅga(thudong),sufferinginthejungle(thukdong),andfindingyourwaythroughthejungle(thaludong).]

Actually,thereasonwhytheBuddhataughtustogointothewildernessisforustogaindiscernment.Youencountersuffering,youencounterreality,sothatyoucanseeandunderstandit,andeventuallyyougettiredoftheactionsthatcauseit.It’snotthatgoingintothewildernessisn’tgood.Itisgood.Itgivesrisetodiscernment.

Speakingofdhutaṅga,it’snotamatterofslingingyourbowlandumbrellatentoveryourshoulder,exposingyourselftothesunandwinduntilyou’reabouttodie,thewayfarmersgotosellwaterbuffaloesintheCentralPlains.It’samatterofthepractice.Youlearntobecontentwithlittle.Youlearnasenseofmoderationineating,asenseofmoderationinsleep.Yougettogrowthin,tomakethingsshrink,makethemshorter,gathertheminwell.It’slikecastinganetforfish.Yougatheroneendfirmlyunderyourbeltandthenyougraduallygatherthenetin,gatheritin,gradually,gradually.Youtieoffoneendandthen,whenyou’vegotyourfish,youquicklytieofftheother.Tieupthefishbehindthegillsandyou’vegotit.

Youdon’thavetolookelsewhere.Youdon’thavetoreadalotofbooks.Watchyourownmind.Thebasicprincipleslierighthere.Thiswayyoucanmeditatewithoutgettingdeluded.

Ifpeoplespeaktoyouinawaythatgratesagainstyourears,thatmakesyoumad,tellyourself,“It’snotforsure.It’sinconstant.”Ifyoueatsomethingdeliciousandthink,“Mmm.It’sreallygood,”remindyourselfthatit’snotforsure.Whatevercomesyourway,tellyourself,“It’snotforsure.”Why?Becausethat’swheretheDhammalies.Gatherthingsin,inthedirectionoftheBuddha,thedirectionofinconstancy.

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Inconstancy—thatthingsaren’tforsure:That’stheBuddhaonthelevelofthemind.Ifyoureallyseeinconstancy,youseetheDhamma.Whywouldn’tyouseeit?—for

thetruthliesrightthere.IfyouseetheDhamma,youseetheBuddha.Thesethingsgoinbothdirections.IfyouseetheBuddha,youseetheDhamma.Whenyouseeinthisway,youcanliveanywhereatall.Whenyousit,theBuddhaisgivingyouasermon.Whenyouliedown,he’sgivingyouasermon.Whateveryoudo,he’sgivingyouasermon.TheDhammaarisesandtheDhammalooksafterthosewhopracticeit,sothattheydon’tfallintotheevilpath.

WhentheDhammaisincharge,themindisalwaysawareofthings.Itknowsthat“Thisiswrong.Thisisright.Thisisgood.Thisisevil.Thisissuffering.Thisisthecauseofsuffering.Thisisthedisbandingofsuffering.Thisisthepracticethatreachesthedisbandingofsuffering.”

That’sthepath.Everythinggathersintothepath.Asyoustrengthenthepath,yourdefilementsdecrease.Thedefilementsarelikeanarmy,youknow.Iftheyincrease,thepathdecreases.Ifthepathgetsstrengthened,thedefilementsgraduallygoaway,goaway.Theirstrengthdecreases.Youstayonlywithwhat’sright.Whatever’swrong,yougiveitup,giveitallup,andthewrongpathpetersout.

That’swhentherightpathgetsestablished,andyoucanlivewhereveryouwant.Gainingisthesameaslosing;losing,thesameasgaining.There’snoproblemanymore.Themindisatpeace—atpeacethroughdiscernment.Whenyouseeinthisway,you’renotfixatedonthisorthat.Ifsomeonebringsyousomethingtotradethisforthat,you’renotinterested.Youdon’tbelievethem.That’swhenthingsareforsure.Rememberthispointwell.

It’slikeknowingfruits:Thisisanolive,thisisaguava,thisisamango.Onceyouknowthem,peoplecanpourthemallintoatrayandsomeonecanpickthemuponebyoneandaskyouwhattheyare.

“What’sthis?”“Aguava.”“What’sthis?”“Anolive.”“What’sthis?”“Amango.”Thepersoncankeepdoingthisforahundredtraysoffruit,athousandtraysof

fruit,andyouwon’tbedeceivedbyanyofthem.Youseeamangoasamango,aguavaasaguava—whateveritis,youseeitforwhatitis.That’swhenthingsareforsure.Nobodycandeceiveyou.Youcan’twanderoffthepath,foreverythinginthemindistherightpath.Whenyou’resitting,youhaverightview.Whenyou’rewalking,youhaverightview.Whenyou’relyingdown,youhaverightview.Themindisallthe

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same,alwayslikeithasbeen:atease,atpeace.Thesesortsofthingsarehardtodescribe.

Pleasureisn’tthehighestlevelofDhamma.It’speacebecauseit’snolongerdisturbedbypleasureorpain.It’sempty.Itstaysunfixated,unattached.Whereveryougo,itkeepsstayingthatway.

Forinstance,ifsomebody’smoodcomestohityou—“Youknow,venerablefather,you’rejustlikeadog”—youstayatyourease.Onceyou’resureofyourself,that’sthewayitis.Butiftheycallyouadogandyoureallybecomeadog,bitingthem,thatshowsyou’renotsureofyourself.You’renotforsure.Onceyou’reforsure,you’renotanything.Whywouldyouwanttobeanything?VenerableFatherSii,VenerableFatherSaa,VenerableFatherMaa:It’snotthecasethatyou’vehadthesenamesallalong.Theyweregiventoyounotallthatlongago.

Likethateight-preceptmanoverthere:Wheredidhecomefrom?Washebornwithalabelaffixedtohim?Hisparentsgavehimanamejustalittlewhileago.Iftheycallyouaperson,what’stheretogetsohappyabout?Iftheycallyouadog,what’stheretogetsoupsetabout?Isn’tthatasignyou’realreadyinsadshape?

Sowekeeponcontemplating,keeponlooking,untilwekeepongettingitright,gettingitright.Yougetitrightwhileyou’resittingdown,rightwhileyou’relyingdown.Whateveryoudo,it’sright.Itkeepsonstayingright.ButifyoustartarguingabouttheDhamma,youcan’tescapesuffering.

It’slikethepieceofironthat’sred-hotallover.Itdoesn’thaveanycoolspot.Ifyoutouchitontop,it’shot.Ifyoutouchitunderneath,it’shot.Ifyoutouchitonthesides,it’shot.Whyisithot?Becausethewholethingisapieceofred-hotiron.Wherewoulditbecool?

It’sthesamehere.Onceyoulatchontoanything—whateveritis—you’reimmediatelywrong.Everythingiswrong,everythingissuffering.Ifyoulatchontowhat’sevil,yousuffer.Ifyoulatchontowhat’sgood,yousuffer.

Forthemostpart,thegoodthingsarewhatleadpeopletobeverydeluded.They’redeludedbywhat’sgood.Whengoodisn’tjustright,it’snotgood,youknow.Haveyounoticedtherainfallthisyear?Itwassogoodthatitwentpastjustright,floodingpeople’shouses.Thisiswhathappenswhengoodgoespastjustright.

TheBuddhataughtustobeintelligent.“Ifitcomeshigh,slipunderit.”“Ifitcomeslow,jumpoveritshead.”“Drilltheholerightinlinewiththedowel.”Takethesethreeprincipleswithyou.Focusrightthere,andtheproblemwon’tget

awayfromyou.Thisisthegenuinetruth.Thisiswhatit’slike.Don’tfocusonwhetheryou’reoldoryoung,orhowmanydaysandnightshavepassed,orwhichday

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oftheweekitis.Justkeepworkingonyourmindinthisway.Inpracticing,don’tthinkthatyouhavetositinorderforittobemeditation,that

youhavetowalkbackandforthinorderforittobemeditation.Don’tthinklikethat.Meditationissimplyamatterofpractice.Whetheryou’regivingasermon,sittingherelistening,orgoingawayfromhere,keepupthepracticeinyourheart.Bealerttowhat’sproperandwhat’snot.

Don’tdecidethatit’sokaytoobservethedhutaṅgapracticesduringtheRainsretreatandthendropthemwhentheretreatisover.It’snotokay.Thingsdon’tbalanceoutinthatway.It’slikeclearingafield.Wekeepcuttingaway,cuttingaway,andthenstoptorestwhenwe’retired.Weputawayourhoeandthencomebackamonthortwolater.Theweedsarenowalltallerthanthestumps.Ifwetrytoclearawaytheareaweclearedawaybefore,it’stoomuchforus.

AjaanMunoncesaidthatwehavetomakeourpracticetheshapeofacircle.Acirclenevercomestoanend.Keepitgoingcontinually.Keepthepracticegoingcontinuallywithoutstop.IlistenedtohimandIthought,“WhenI’vefinishedlisteningtothistalk,whatshouldIdo?”

Theansweristomakeyouralertnessakāliko:timeless.Makesurethatthemindknowsandseeswhat’sproperandwhat’snot,atalltimes.

It’slikethewaterinthiskettle.Ifyoutiltitsothatthere’salongtimebetweenthedrops—glug…glug—thosearecalledwaterdrops.Ifyoutiltitalittlefurther,thedropsbecomemorefrequent:glug-glug-glug.Ifyoutiltitalittlebitfurther,thewaterflowsinastream.Whatdoesthestreamofwaterstreamcomefrom?Itcomesfromthedropsofwater.Ifthey’renotcontinuous,they’recalleddropsofwater.

Thewaterhereislikeourawareness.Ifyouaccelerateyourefforts,ifyourawarenessiscontinuous,yourmindfulnesswillbecomefull.Bothbydayandbynight,it’llkeepstayingfulllikethat.Itbecomesastreamofwater.Aswe’retaught,thenobleoneshavecontinuousmindfulness.Thewaterisastreamofwater.Makeyourawarenesscontinuous.Wheneverthere’sanythingwrongorlackinginanyway,you’llknowimmediately.Yourawarenesswillbeacircle,allaround.That’stheshapeofthepractice.

It’snotthatyouhavetodriveyourselfreallyhard.Somepeoplegetreallyearnestwhentheysitinconcentration:“Letmyblooddrainaway,letmyskinsplitopen,ifIdon’tgainawakeningI’mwillingtodie.”They’vereadthatinthebiographyoftheBuddha,butwhenitcomestothem,thebodystartspulsatinginpainallthewayuptothebaseoftheskull.Theirdeterminationgraduallydeflates,untiltheyfinallyopentheireyestolookattheincensestickburninginfrontofthem.

“Gosh,Ithoughtit’dbealmostburnedout,butthere’sstillalotleft!”Sotheytakeadeepbreathandmakethedeterminationthataslongastheincense

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stickhasn’tburnedallthewayout,theywon’topentheireyesnomatterwhat.Butafterawhilethepaingetsreallyheavyanddullatthebaseoftheskull,sotheyopentheireyes.

“Gosh,Ithoughtit’dbeallburnedout,butthere’sstillalotleft!”Eventually,theygiveupevenbeforetheincensehasburnedout.Latertheysitand

think,“I’mreallyasadcase.”Theydon’tknowwhotogetmadat,sotheygetmadatthemselves.“I’mnottruetomyword.”Theycursethemselves.

“There’snohopeforme.I’mmakingalotofbadkamma.I’madenizenofhell.”Allkindsofthings.

“WhyshouldIstayonasamonkifIcan’tevendothis?Allmybadkammaisgoingtoeatupmyhead.”They’vegiventhemselvesareasontojumpship.

“Wouldn’titbebettertoliveasalaypersonandobservethefiveprecepts?”Theythinktothemselvesanddon’ttellanyoneelse.Themoretheythink,themoreconvincedtheyare.

Whyshouldwesetgoalsforourselveslikethat?TheBuddhataughtthatwhenwemeditate,weshouldhaveasenseofourselves.Likemerchantswhentheyputmerchandiseintotheircarts:Theyhaveasenseofwhatthey’redoing—howmanyoxentheyhave,howbigandstrongtheoxenare,howbigtheircartsare.Theyknowthatsortofthing:howmanysacksofricetheycanputineachcart.Theyknowhowmuchtoputin,inlinewiththestrengthoftheiroxenandthestrengthoftheircarts.

Whenyoupractice,ithastobeinlinewithyourownstrength.Hereyouhaveasinglecartandyouroxisthesizeofyourfist,andyetyouwantthecarttocarryasmuchasaten-wheeledtruck.Youseeten-wheeledtruckspassingyouontheroadandyouwanttobelikethem.Butyou’renotaten-wheeledtruck.You’rejustacart.It’ssuretobreakdown.You’rewhat’scalledafruitthat’sripeevenbeforeit’shalf-ripe,foodthat’sburnedevenbeforeit’scooked.

Sointheendthoseearnestmeditatorsendupdisrobing.Afterthey’vedisrobed,theystartthinkingagain.“Youknow,backwhenIwasordainedthingsweregoingalotbetterthantheyarenow.MaybeIshouldordainagain.Thatpathwasalotbrighter.Itwasn’tasdarkasthis.”Aftertheythinkaboutitforawhile,theyordainagain.Makeafreshstart.Atfirsttheylooklikethey’regoingtodowell,likeanewboxerwhodoesn’tyetneedwater.Theirstrengthisgood,they’rediligent,theymakegoodprogress.Butthentheygraduallygrowweaker,weaker.

“ItlookslikeI’mgoingtofailagain.ThisismysecondtimearoundandstillitlookslikeIwon’tmakeit.IfIstayintherobes,I’mgoingtobreakdownevenmore.I’dbetterdisrobe.I’mnotgoingtogetanywhere.SomeoftheBuddha’sdisciplesordainedanddisrobeduptoseventimes.”They’renowtakingthosewhoordainedanddisrobedseventimesastheirmodel.Don’ttaketheirbadexampleasyourmodel.

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“Theyhadtowaituntiltheirseventhtimebeforetheygainedawakening.MaybeifIgiveitmyallseventimesI’llgainawakeninglikethem.”Theykeepontalkingnonsense.

There’snothingintheDhammataughtbytheBuddhathatliesbeyondhumancapabilities.Don’tgofocusingonthingsyoucan’tsee:heavenornibbānaupthereinthesky.AlltheDhammasweneedtoknowandsee,theBuddhaexplainedinfull.Asforthingsyoucan’tsee,don’tpaythemanymind.Don’tpaythemanyattention.Lookinsteadatthepresent.Howareyouleadingyourlife?Ifsufferingarises,whyistheresuffering?What’sgoingon?Howcanyousettletheproblemrightthere?Whatareyoustuckon?It’sattachmentandfixation.Yougraspattheideathatyou’rebetterthanotherpeople,orequaltootherpeople,orworsethanotherpeople.Allkindsofthings.Whenyoulivewithotherpeople,yougetdisgustedwiththem.“Thispersonisactingbadly.Thatpersonisactingbadly.”Yougoofftolivebyyourselfanddon’tknowwhotogetdisgustedwith,soyouendupdisgustedwithyourself.

Justlikeyousaid.

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TheKnower

AnexcerptfromarecordedconversationbetweenVen.AjahnChahandsomeofhisWesternmonkdisciples.

AJAHNCHAH:Doyouknowhowsomepeoplethink?“Dotranquilitytotheendpointoftranquility.Observethepreceptstotheendpointoftheprecepts.Doconcentrationtotheendpointofconcentration.”Butwheretheendpointofthesethingsis,theyhavenoidea.Actually,youdon’thavetokeeppoundingawayatanythingalot.Ifyouhavediscernment,thenonceyoustripawaythesuppositionsthatpeoplesupposeintobeing,onceyoustripthemawaythenthat’stheendofthematter.It’srelease.Emptyofsuppositions.Thingsthataresupposedtobethisorthat,westripthemawaysoastoseerelease.That’swhenyougainreleasefromallofthosethings.Sogetacquaintedwithyourownmind.Youdon’thavetofollowalotofthings.Justthisisenough.

Thisproblemisreallycomplicated.Somepeoplecreatedifficultiesforthemselves.Theythinktoofar,sotheymissthemainpoint.Theythinkthatifyoudothingsalot,it’llbegood.Actually,everything’sgood,buttheyhavenoideaofwhat’stoomuchandwhat’stoolittle.It’slikepeople—richpeopleandpoorpeople.Richpeoplearegood,buthowaretheygood?Poorpeoplearegood,buthowaretheypoor?Whenyoucomerightdowntoit,they’reequal.Richpeopleandpoorpeopleareequal.That’sthewayithastobewhenyoucomerightdowntoit.It’sthesamewiththis.

Question:Justnowyouspokeaboutgettingthemindquietenoughandthencontemplatingfabrications.I’veheardyoutalkmanytimesaboutcontemplatingfabrications,suchascontemplatingthe32partsofthebody.Ifyouuseperceptionsandthought-fabricationstodothis,willitgiverisetoinsight?

AjahnChah:That’sright.Youhavetousethosethingsatfirst,startwiththosethingsfirst.Butwhenyougetdowntothewaythingsare,thenit’snotamatterofthosethingsatall.It’snotamatterofthinking—thinkinggood,thinkingbad—atall.Ifyouweretousethosethingsallthetime,wouldyoucometotheendofthem?Andhowwillyoucometotheendofthem?WhenIthinkoutloudforpeopletolisten,whenIspeakforchildrentolisten,Isaythatyouhavetodothisanddothat.Butinactuality,whenyoucometotheendofthematter,there’snothingleft.Don’tfollowyourthought-fabrications.Whenyouseetheactivityoffabrications,that’sdiscernment.Butifyoukeeponrunningtogetinsidethem,it’salljustfabrication.

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Thatkindofknowingisn’treallyyou,soyouhavetodiscardthat,too.Consciousnessisjustconsciousness,that’sall.It’snotabeing,notaperson,notaself,not“us”or“them.”Soyoudiscardit,too.That’stheendofthematter.Andwhatelsewouldyouwant?Wherewouldyougofromthere?You’djustbeputtingyourselftodifficulties,youknow.

Question:Excuseme,sir,butwhenyousay“quietenough,”howquietisthat?AjahnChah:Enoughtobeabletocontemplate.Enoughtohavemindfulness;

enoughtobeabletocontemplate.Question:Youstaywiththepresentwithoutthinkingaboutpastorfuture?AjahnChah:Youcanthinkaboutthepastorfuture,butyoudon’ttakeit

seriously.Youcanthinkallkindsofthings,butyoudon’ttakethemseriously.It’sjustamatterofthinking,sodon’tfollowit.Ifyoufollowtheissuesoffabrication,they’llkeeponfabricatingissuesallthetime.Willtheyrunoutthatway?Notatall.Whenyouseethatthemindisjustthemind,that’sall—notabeing,notaperson,notaself,not“us”or“them”—that’scalledcittānupassanā:keepingtrackofthemind.It’snotours,right?Pleasureisjustpleasure,that’sall.Painisjustpain,that’sall.They’realljust“that’sall”kindsofthings.Ifyouseeintothat,ifyourcontemplationtakesyouthatfar,thentherewillbenodoubts.

Question:Whencontemplatingthisway,aswenormallysay,itreallyiscontemplation,right?Youhavetousethought-fabrications.Youhavetousethinking.

AjahnChah:Youusethinking,butyoualsosee.Youseeaboveandbeyondyourthinkingrightthere.Andthenyoudon’tbelieveinlinewiththatkindofthinganymore.Doyouunderstand?Yoursensationsarejustsensations,that’sall.Butwhatyou’vereacheddoesn’tarise,doesn’tdisband.It’sjustthewayitis.Itdoesn’tariseanditdoesn’tdie.Insimpleterms,aswithourmind:Wesupposethatthemindknowssensations.Butwhenwereallyspeakaboutthemind,thisissomethingabovethemind.Whateverthemindarisesfrom,wecallitthemind.Themindarisesanddisbands.Itarisesanddisbands,thismind.

Butthisotherthingisn’tthemindthatarisesanddisbands.It’sadifferentexperience.Allthethingsthatarethattruth:Theydon’tariseanddon’tdisband.They’rejustthewaytheyare.Theygopasttheissuesofarisinganddisbanding.Butwhenyoucallthemthemind,it’sjustintermsofsuppositions.Whenyouspeakintermsofsuppositions,youbelieveinyourownmind—andthenwhathappens?Wheredoesthismindcomefrom?You’vebelievedinthismindforsolong,andthere’snoease.Right?

Inthebeginningyouknowaboutinconstancy,stress,andnot-self.Theseareissuesofthemind.Butthatrealitydoesn’thaveanyissues.Itletsgo.Itletsgoofthethingsthatthemindariseswithanddependson,butitdoesn’tariseordisbandatall.

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Thethingsthatariseanddisbanddependonperceptionsandfabrications.Wethinkthatbecausecontemplationusesperceptions,thentheymustbediscernment.Andsowelatchontofabrications,thinkingthey’rediscernment.Butthat’snotgenuinediscernment.Genuinediscernmentputsanendtoissues.Itknows,andthat’stheendofissues.Therearestillfabrications,butyoudon’tfollowinlinewiththem.Therearesensations,you’reawareofthem,butyoudon’tfollowinlinewiththem.Youkeepknowingthatthey’renotthepathanymore.

Question:Whatdowedotofindthispoint,thepointofthegenuinemind?AjahnChah:Youkeeptrackofthismind,first.Youseethatit’sinconstant,notfor

sure.Seethatclearly.Youseethatthere’snothingtotakeholdof,andsoyouletgo.Themindletsgoofitself.Itunderstandsitself.Itletsgoofthismind.Atthatpoint,there’snomoreneedtofabricateit,buttherearenomoredoubtsaboutanything.That’scalled…Whatevernameyoucallit,it’samatterofsuppositionandformulation.Youmakesuppositionsaboutitforpeopletolearnaboutit,butthatnatureisjustthewayitis.It’sliketheground.Whatspinsaroundisontopoftheground.Butthisthingistheground.Whatdoesn’tariseordisbandistheground.Whatarisesandrunsaroundontop,wecall“themind,”or“perception,”or“fabrication.”Toputitinsimpleterms,therearenoforms,feelings,perceptions,fabrications,orconsciousnessintheground.Intermsofsupposition,form,feelings,perceptions,fabrications,andconsciousnessariseanddisband.Butthey’renotinthis.Theydisband.

It’slikethequestionthatVen.SāriputtaaskedVen.PuṇṇaMantāniputta.Haveyoueverreadthat?Ven.PuṇṇaMantāniputtawasgoingoutintotheforesttofollowtheasceticpractices.Histeacherhadtaughthimabouttheasceticpractices.SoVen.Sāriputtaaskedhim,“PuṇṇaMantāniputta,whenyougooutintotheforest,supposesomeoneasksyouthisquestion,‘Whenanarahantdies,whatishe?’Howwouldyouanswer?”

That’sbecausethishadalreadyhappened.Ven.PuṇṇaMantāniputtasaid,“I’llanswerthatform,feeling,perceptions,

fabrications,andconsciousnessariseanddisband.That’sall.”Ven.Sāriputtasaid,“That’lldo.That’lldo.”Whenyouunderstandthismuch,that’stheendofissues.Whenyouunderstand

it,youtakeittocontemplatesoastogiverisetodiscernment.Seeclearlyallthewayin.It’snotjustamatterofsimplyarisinganddisbanding,youknow.That’snotthecaseatall.Youhavetolookintothecauseswithinyourownmind.You’rejustthesameway:arisinganddisbanding.Lookuntilthere’snopleasureorpain.Keepfollowinginuntilthere’snothing:noattachment.That’showyougobeyondthesethings.Reallyseeitthatway;seeyourmindinthatway.Thisisnotjustsomethingtotalkabout.Getsothatwhereveryouare,there’snothing.Thingsariseanddisband,ariseanddisband,andthat’sall.Youdon’tdependonfabrications.Youdon’trunafter

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fabrications.Butnormally,wemonksfabricateinoneway;laypeoplefabricateincrudeways.Butit’sallamatteroffabrication.Ifwealwaysfollowinlinewiththem,ifwedon’tknow,theygrowmoreandmoreuntilwedon’tknowupfromdown.

Question:Butthere’sstilltheprimalmind,right?AjahnChah:What?Question:Justnowwhenyouwerespeaking,itsoundedasifthereweresomething

asidefromthefiveaggregates.Whatelseisthere?Youspokeasifthereweresomething.Whatwouldyoucallit?Theprimalmind?Orwhat?

AjahnChah:Youdon’tcallitanything.Everythingendsrightthere.There’snomorecallingit“primal.”Thatendsrightthere.“What’sprimal”ends.

Question:Wouldyoucallittheprimalmind?AjahnChah:Youcangiveitthatsuppositionifyouwant.Whenthereareno

suppositions,there’snowaytotalk.Therearenowordstotalk.Butthere’snothingthere,noissues.It’sprimal;it’sold.Therearenoissuesatall.ButwhatI’msayinghereisjustsuppositions.“Old,”“new”:Thesearejustaffairsofsupposition.Iftherewerenosuppositions,wewouldn’tunderstandanything.We’djustsitheresilentwithoutunderstandingoneanother.Sounderstandthat.

Question:Toreachthis,whatamountofconcentrationisneeded?AjahnChah:Concentrationhastobeincontrol.Withnoconcentration,what

couldyoudo?Ifyouhavenoconcentration,youcan’tgetthisfaratall.Youneedenoughconcentrationtoknow,togiverisetodiscernment.ButIdon’tknowhowyou’dmeasuretheamountofmentalstillnessneeded.Justdeveloptheamountwheretherearenodoubts,that’sall.Ifyouask,that’sthewayitis.

Question:Theprimalmindandtheknower:Aretheythesamething?AjahnChah:Notatall.Theknowercanchange.It’syourawareness.Everyonehas

aknower.Question:Butnoteveryonehasaprimalmind?AjahnChah:Everyonehasone.Everyonehasaknower,butithasn’treachedthe

endofitsissues,theknower.Question:Buteveryonehasboth?AjahnChah:Yes.Everyonehasboth,buttheyhaven’texploredallthewayintothe

otherone.Question:Doestheknowerhaveaself?AjahnChah:No.Doesitfeellikeithasone?Hasitfeltthatwayfromthevery

beginning?Question:Whenpeoplesleepsoundly,istherestillaknowerthere?

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AjahnChah:Thereis.Itdoesn’tstop.Eveninthebhavaṅgaofsleep.Question:Oh.Thebhavaṅga.AjahnChah:Thebhavaṅgaofsleep.Thesesortsofthing,ifyoukeepstudyingaboutthem,keeptyingyouupin

complications.Theydon’tcometoanendinthisway.Theykeepgettingcomplicated.WiththeDhamma,it’snotthecasethatyou’llawakenbecausesomeoneelsetellsyouaboutit.Youalreadyknowthatyoucan’tgetseriousaboutaskingwhetherthisisthatorthatisthis.Thesethingsarereallypersonal.Wetalkjustenoughforyoutocontemplate…

It’slikeachildwho’sneverseenanything.Hecomesouttothecountrysideandseesachicken.“Daddy,what’sthatoverthere?”Heseesaduck.“Daddy,what’sthat?”Heseesapig.“Daddy,what’sthatoverthere?”Thefathergetstiredofanswering.Themoreheanswers,themorethechildkeepsasking—becausehe’sneverseenthesethings.Afterawhile,thefathersimplysays,“Hmm.”Ifyoukeepplayingalongwiththechild’severyquestion,youdieoffatigue.Thechilddoesn’tgetfatigued.Whateveritsees,“What’sthat?What’sthis?”Itnevercomestoanend.Finallythefathersays,“Whenyougrowbigger,you’llknowforyourself.”

That’sthewayitiswithmeditation.Iusedtobelikethat.Ireallywas.Butwhenyouunderstand,therearenoneofthosequestions.You’vegrownup.Sobeintentoncontemplatinguntilyouunderstand,andthingswillgraduallyunravelthemselves.That’sthewayitis.Keepwatchoveryourselfasmuchasyoucan.Keepwatchoveryourselfasmuchasyoucan,toseeifyou’relyingtoyourself.That’swhat’scalledkeepingwatchoveryourself.

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N O T E

Withtwoexceptions—“BecomingaSamaṇa”and”IntheShapeofaCircle”—thetalksinthisbookhaveallbeenpreviouslytranslated.Infourcases—”AGiftofDhamma,”“Still,FlowingWater,”“Suppositions&Release,”and“InBody&Mind”—thetranslationsherearebasedonentirelynewtranscriptionsoftheoriginaltalks.

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TableofContents

Titlepage 2Copyright 3Photo 4AGiftofDhamma 5OurRealHome 11Still,FlowingWater 23Suppositions&Release 38InBody&Mind 45BecomingaSamaṇa 62IntheShapeofaCircle 77TheKnower 96-Note- 101

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