AHeartReleased

TheTeachingsofPhraAjaanMunBhūridattaThera

TranslatedfromtheThai

byṬhānissaroBhikkhu

2

copyright2016ṭhānissarobhikkhu

ThisworkislicensedundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution-

NonCommercial4.0Unported.Toseeacopyofthislicense

visithttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

“Commercial”shallmeananysale,whetherforcommercialor

non-profitpurposesorentities.

questionsaboutthisbookmaybeaddressedto

MettaForestMonastery

ValleyCenter,CA92082-1409

U.S.A.

additionalresources

MoreDhammatalks,booksandtranslationsbyThanissaro

Bhikkhuareavailabletodownloadindigitalaudioandvarious

ebookformatsatdhammatalks.org.

printedcopy

Apaperbackcopyofthisbookisavailablefreeofcharge.To

requestone,writeto:BookRequest,MettaForestMonastery,

POBox1409,ValleyCenter,CA92082USA.

3

INTRODUCTION

PhraAjaanMunBhūridattaTherawasbornin1870inBaanKhamBong,afarmingvillageinUbonRatchathaniprovince,northeasternThailand.OrdainedasaBuddhistmonkin1893,hespenttheremainderofhislifewanderingthroughThailand,Burma,andLaos,dwellingforthemostpartintheforest,engagedinthepracticeofmeditation.Heattractedanenormousfollowingofstudentsand,togetherwithhisteacher,PhraAjaanSaoKantasīlo,wasresponsiblefortheestablishmentoftheforestascetictraditionthathasnowspreadthroughoutThailandandtoseveralcountriesabroad.Hepassedawayin1949atWatSuddhāvāsa,SakonNakhornprovince.

Muchhasbeenwrittenabouthislife,butverylittlewasrecordedofhisteachingsduringhislifetime.Mostofhisteachingsheleftintheformofpeople:thestudentswhoseliveswereprofoundlyshapedbytheexperienceoflivingandpracticingmeditationunderhisguidance.Oneofthepiecesthatwasrecordedisthefirstpiecetranslatedhere.AHeartReleased(Muttodaya)isarecordofpassagesfromhissermons,madeduringtheyears1944-45bytwomonkswhowerestayingunderhisguidance,andeditedbyathirdmonk,anecclesiasticalofficialwhofrequentlyvisitedhimforinstructioninmeditation.Thefirsteditionofthebookwasprintedwithhispermissionforfreedistributiontothepublic.ThetitleofthebookwastakenfromacommentmadebytheVen.ChaoKhunUpāliGuṇūpamācariya(JanSiricando)who,afterlisteningtoasermondeliveredbyPhraAjaanMunontherootthemesofmeditation,praisedthesermonashavingbeendeliveredwith'muttodaya’—aheartreleased—andasconveyingtheheartofrelease.

TheunusualstyleofPhraAjaanMun’ssermonsmaybeexplainedinpartbythefactthatinthedaysbeforehisordinationhewasskilledinapopularformofinformalvillageentertainmentcalledmawlam.Mawlamisacontestinextemporaneousrhyming,usuallyreproducingthewarbetweenthesexes,inwhichthebattleofwitscanbecomequitefierce.Muchuseismadeofwordplay:riddles,puns,metaphors,andsimpleplayingwiththesoundsofwords.ThesenseoflanguagethatAjaanMundevelopedinmawlamhecarriedoverintohisteachingsafterbecomingamonk.Oftenhewouldteachhisstudentsinextemporaneouspunsandrhymes.ThissortofwordplayheevenappliedtothePalilanguage,andanumberofinstancescanbecitedinMuttodaya:in§3,

4

thepunontheworddhātu,whichcanmeanbothphysicalelementandspeechelement(phoneme);theuseofthephonemesnamobadha(thebasicelementsinthephrasenamobuddhāya,homagetotheBuddha)tostandforthefourphysicalelements;theplayonnamoandmanoin§4;theuseofthePaṭṭhānaasanimageforthemindin§5;theextractionofthewordsanto(peaceful)frompavessantoin§13and§16;thegrammaticalpunonlokein§14andsantoin§13;thethreesin§12;theeightsin§16;andsoon.

ThissortofrhetoricalstylehasgoneoutoffashionintheWestandisgoingoutofstyletodayeveninThailand,butintheThailandofAjaanMun’stimeitwasheldinhighregardasasignofquickintelligenceandasubtlemind.AjaanMunwasabletouseitwithfinesseasaneffectiveteachingmethod,forcinghisstudentstobecomemorequick-wittedandalerttoimplications,correspondences,multiplelevelsofmeaning,andtheelusivenessoflanguage;tobelessdogmaticintheirattachmentstothemeaningsofwords,andlessinclinedtolookforthetruthintermsoflanguage.AsAjaanMunoncetoldapairofvisitingmonkswhowereproudoftheircommandofthemedievaltext,ThePathofPurification,theniddesa(analyticalexpositions)onvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentcontainedinthatworkweresimplynidāna(fablesorstories).Iftheywantedtoknowthetruthofvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment,theywouldhavetobringthesequalitiesintobeingintheirownheartsandminds.

Thesecondsetofselectionstranslatedhere—TheEver-presentTruth—aredrawnfromacollectionofsermonfragmentsappendedtothebookAHeartReleasedaspartofacommemorativevolumedistributedatPhraAjaanMun’scremationin1950.ThecollectionwasdrawnfromnotesofAjaanMun’ssermonstakenbytwoofhisstudentsduringthelasttwoyearsofhislife,coveringawiderangeoftopics,includingsomestandardaccountsoftheBuddha’slife.Theselectionsincludedherecompriseallofthepassagesdealingdirectlywiththepracticeofvirtueandmeditation.

SomeofAjaanMun’sdirectstudentshavecommentedthatthefragmentsbothinAHeartReleasedandTheEver-presentTruthwouldhavebeenmoresubtleandinsightfulifthestudentswhorecordedthemhadbeenmoreadvancedintheirownmeditationpractice.Asaresult,wecanonlyguessastowhattheoriginalsermonswerelike.Still,thefragmentsthathavebeenrecordedareworthreadingandputtingintopractice,andsotheyareofferedhere.

Asforthethirdpiecetranslatedhere:AjaanMun’sstudentsgenerallybelievedthathehimselfneverwrotedownanyofhisteachings,butathisdeathapoem—TheBalladofLiberationfromtheKhandhas—wasfoundamongthefewpapersheleftbehind.Ashenotedonthefinalpageofthepoem,he

5

composeditduringoneofhisbriefstaysinBangkok,atWatSrapatum(LotusPondMonastery),probablyintheearly1930’s.HewasapparentlyinspiredbyananonymouspoemonthethemeofmeditationcomposedandprintedinBangkokduringthatperiod,inasmuchasbothpoemssharevirtuallythesamebeginning—the39linesinthefollowingtranslationbeginningwith,“Oncetherewasamanwholovedhimself.…”AjaanMun’spoem,however,thendevelopsinanentirelyoriginaldirectionandshowsbyfaradeeperunderstandingofthetrainingofthemind.

Translatingthepoemhaspresentedanumberofdifficulties,nottheleastofwhichhasbeengettingadefinitivereadingoftheoriginalmanuscript.AjaanMunwroteduringthedaysbeforeThaispellingbecamestandardized,someofthepassagesweresmudgedwithage,andafewseemtohavebeen“corrected”byalaterhand.AnotherdifficultyhasbeenthemoregeneralproblemoffindingtheproperEnglishstylefortranslatingThaipoetry,whichdependsheavilyonrhyme,rhythm,andastripped-downsyntax,somewhatlikethatoftelegramsandnewspaperheadlines.ThisstylegivesThaipoetryalightnessofstylecombinedwitharichnessofmeaning,butfrustratesanyattempttopindownanyoneprecisemessageforthesakeoftranslation—anexcellentlessonforanyonewhofeelsthatthetruthiswhatisconveyedinwords.

Thetranslationhereismeanttobeasliteralaspossible,althoughIhavefleshedthetextoutwhenitseemednecessarytomaketheEnglishintelligible.Becausetheoriginalalternatesbetweentwopoeticforms—klonandrai—ItriedtocreateasimilareffectinEnglishbyalternatingblankverseandfreeverse.Theresultisprobablytooliteraltobepoetry,butIfeltthatanyonereadingitwouldbemoreinterestedinthemeaningthaninverbaleffects.TheinstanceswhereIhavetakenthemostlibertywiththetexthavebeenincludedinsquarebrackets,ashasonepassage—ironically,dealingwiththeerrorofbeingaddictedtocorrectingthings—wherethereadingoftheoriginalseemstohavebeendoctored.

Thereaderwillnoticethatinafewplacesthepoemseemstojumpabruptlyfromonetopictoanother.Insomecasestheseshiftsweredictatedbytherhymescheme,butinotherstheyarenotreallyshiftsatall.Keepinmindthatthepoemoperatesonseverallevels.Inparticular,twoparallelthemesrunthroughout:(1)ananalysisoftheexternalerroroffocusingonthefaultsofotherpeopleinsteadofone’sown,and(2)adiscussionofthemind’sinternalerrorofviewing(andcriticizing)thekhandhasassomehowseparatefromitsowneffortstoknowthem.Statementsmadedirectlyaboutonelevelapplyindirectlytotheotheraswell.Thusthepoemcoversawiderrangeofthepracticethanmightappearatfirstglance.It’saworkthatrewardsrepeatedreadings.

6

IwouldliketoexpressmygratitudetoPhraAjaanSuwatSuvaco(PhraBodhidhammācariyaThera)fortheinvaluablehelphegavemeinuntanglingsomeoftheknottierpassagesinthepoem.Anymistakesthatmayremain,ofcourse,aremine.

IhopethatallthreeofthesetranslationswillhelptomakeAjaanMun’steachingsavailableinEnglishinaseffectiveawayaspossible.

ṬhānissaroBhikkhu

METTAFORESTMONASTERY

7

AHeartReleased

§1.PracticeiswhatkeepsthetrueDhammapure.

TheLordBuddhataughtthathisDhamma,whenplacedintheheartofanordinaryrun-of-the-millperson,isboundtobethoroughlycorrupted(saddhamma-paṭirūpa);butifplacedintheheartofaNobleOne,itisboundtobegenuinelypureandauthentic,somethingthatatthesametimecanneitherbeeffacednorobscured.

SoaslongaswearedevotingourselvesmerelytothetheoreticalstudyoftheDhamma,itcan’tserveuswell.Onlywhenwehavetrainedourheartstoeliminatetheir‘chameleons’(see§10)—theircorruptions(upakkilesa)—willitbenefitusinfullmeasure.AndonlythenwillthetrueDhammabekeptpure,freefromdistortionsanddeviationsfromitsoriginalprinciples.

§2.TofollowtheBuddha,wemusttrainourselveswellbeforetrainingothers.

purisadamma-sārathisatthādeva-manussānaṁbuddhobhagavāti

OurLordBuddhafirsttrainedandtamedhimselftothepointwhereheattainedunexcelledrightself-awakening(anuttara-sammā-sambodhi-ñāṇa),becomingbuddho,onewhoknows,beforebecomingbhagavā,onewhospreadstheteachingtothosewhoaretobetaught.Onlythendidhebecomesatthā,theteacherandtrainerofhumananddivinebeingswhosestageofdevelopmentqualifiesthemtobetrained.Andthus,kalyāṇokitti-saddoabbhuggato:Hisgoodnamehasspreadtothefourquartersofthecompassevenuptothepresentday.

ThesameistrueofalltheNobleDisciplesofthepast.TheytrainedandtamedthemselveswellbeforehelpingtheTeacherspreadhisteachingstopeopleatlarge,andsotheirgoodnamehasspreadjustliketheBuddha’s.

If,however,apersonspreadstheteachingwithoutfirsthavingtrainedhimselfwell,pāpakosaddohoti:Hisbadnamewillspreadtothefourquartersofthecompass,duetohiserrorinnothavingfollowedtheexampleoftheLordBuddhaandalltheNobleDisciplesofthepast.

8

§3.Therootinheritance,thestartingcapitalforself-training.

Whyisitthatwisepeople—beforechanting,receivingtheprecepts,orperforminganyotheractofmerit—alwaystakeupnamoastheirstartingpoint?Whyisitthatnamoisneveromittedordiscarded?Thissuggeststhatnamomustbesignificant.Ifwetakeitupforconsideration,wefindthatnastandsforthewaterelement,andmofortheearthelement—andwiththis,alinefromthescripturescomestomind:

mātā-petika-sambhavoodāna-kummāsa-paccayo:

‘Whenthegenerativeelementsofthemotherandfatherarecombined,thebodycomesintobeing.Whenitisbornfromthemother’swomb,itisnourishedwithriceandbread,andsoisabletodevelopandgrow.’Naisthemother’selement;mo,thefather’selement.Whenthesetwoelementsarecombined,themother’sfireelementthenheatsthecombinationuntilitbecomeswhatiscalledakalala,adropletofoil.Thisisthepointwheretheconnectingconsciousness(paṭisandhi-viññāṇa)canmakeitsconnection,sothatthemindbecomesjoinedtothenamoelement.Oncethemindhastakenupresidence,thedropletofoildevelopsuntilitisanambuja,aglobofblood.Fromaglobofblooditbecomesaghana,arod,andthenapesī,alumpofflesh.Thenitexpandsitselfintoalizard-likeshape,withfiveextensions:twoarms,twolegs,andahead.

(Asfortheelementsba,breath,anddha,fire,thesetakeupresidencelater,becausetheyarenotwhatthemindholdsonto.Ifthemindletsthedropletofoildrop,thedropletofoilvanishesorisdiscardedasuseless.Ithasnobreathorfire,justaswhenapersondiesandthebreathandfirevanishfromthebody.Thisiswhywesaytheyaresecondaryelements.Theimportantfactorsarethetwooriginalelements,namo.)

Afterthechildisborn,ithastodependonna,itsmother,andmo,itsfather,tocareforit,nurturingitandnourishingitwithsuchfoodsasriceandbread,atthesametimeteachingandtrainingitineveryformofgoodness.Themotherandfatherarethuscalledthechild’sfirstandforemostteachers.Theloveandbenevolencethemotherandfatherfeelfortheirchildrencannotbemeasuredorcalculated.Thelegacytheygiveus—thisbody—isourprimalinheritance.Externalwealth,silverorgold,comesfromthisbody.Ifwedidn’thavethisbody,wewouldn’tbeabletodoanything,whichmeansthatwewouldn’thaveanythingatall.Forthisreason,ourbodyistherootofourentireinheritancefromourmotherandfather,whichiswhywesaythatthegoodtheyhavedoneuscannotbemeasuredorcalculated.Wisepeoplethusneverneglectorforgetthem.

9

Wefirsthavetotakeupthisbody,thisnamo,andonlythendoweperformtheactofbowingitdowninhomage.Totranslatenamoashomageistotranslateonlytheact,notthesourceoftheact.

Thissamerootinheritanceisthestartingcapitalweuseintrainingourselves,soweneedn’tfeellackingorpoorwhenitcomestotheresourcesneededforthepractice.

§4.Therootfoundationforthepractice.

Thetwoelements,namo,whenmentionedbythemselves,aren’tadequateorcomplete.Wehavetorearrangethevowelsandconsonantsasfollows:Taketheafromthen,andgiveittothem;taketheofromthemandgiveittothen,andthenputthemainfrontoftheno.Thisgivesusmano,theheart.Nowwehavethebodytogetherwiththeheart,andthisisenoughtobeusedastherootfoundationforthepractice.Mano,theheart,isprimal,thegreatfoundation.Everythingwedoorsaycomesfromtheheart,asstatedintheBuddha’swords:

mano-pubbaṅgamādhammāmano-seṭṭhāmano-mayā:

‘Alldhammasareprecededbytheheart,dominatedbytheheart,madefromtheheart.’TheBuddhaformulatedtheentireDhammaandVinayafromoutofthisgreatfoundation,theheart.SowhenhisdisciplescontemplateinaccordancewiththeDhammaandVinayauntilnamoisperfectlyclear,thenmanoliesattheendpointofformulation.Inotherwords,itliesbeyondallformulations.

Allsupposingscomefromtheheart.Eachofushashisorherownload,whichwecarryassupposingsandformulationsinlinewiththecurrentsoftheflood(ogha),tothepointwheretheygiverisetoignorance(avijjā),thefactorthatcreatesstatesofbecomingandbirth,allfromournotbeingwisetothesethings,fromourdeludedlyholdingthemalltobe‘me’or‘mine.’

§5.Therootcauseofeverythingintheuniverse.

ThesevenbooksoftheAbhidhamma,exceptforthePaṭṭhāna(TheBookonOrigination),arefiniteinscope.AsforthePaṭṭhāna,itisananta-naya,infiniteinscope.OnlyaBuddhaiscapableofcomprehendingitinitsentirety.

WhenweconsiderthePalitext,whichbeginshetu-paccayo,wefindthatthecause(hetu)thatactsastheprimalsustainingfactor(paccaya)forallthingsinthecosmosisnothingotherthantheheart.Theheartisthegreatcause—what

10

isprimal,whatisimportant.Allthingsapartfromitareeffectsorconditions.TheremainingfactorsmentionedinthePaṭṭhāna,fromārammaṇa(objectivesupport)toaviggata(notwithout)canactassustainingfactorsonlybecausethegreatcause,theheart,comesfirst.Thusmano,discussedin§4;ṭhītibhūtaṁ,whichwillbediscussedin§6;andthegreatcausediscussedhereallrefertothesamething.

TheBuddhawasabletoformulatetheDhammaandVinaya,toknowthingswithhisten-poweredintuition,andtocomprehendallknowablephenomena,allbecausethegreatcauseactedastheprimalfactor.Hiscomprehensionwasthusinfiniteinscope.

Inthesameway,allofthediscipleshadthisgreatcauseactingastheirprimalfactorandsowereabletoknowinaccordancewiththeBuddha’steachings.ThisiswhytheVenerableAssaji,thefifthofthefivebrethren,taughtUpatissa(theVenerableSāriputta),

yedhammāhetu-pabhavātesaṁhetuṁtathāgatotesañcayonirodhocaevaṁvādīmahāsamaṇo:

‘Whateverdhammasarisefromacause…’Thisgreatcausebeingtheimportantfactor,theprimalfactor,thenwhentheVenerableAssajireachedthispoint—thegreatcause—howcouldtheVenerableSāriputta’smindhelpbutpenetratedowntothecurrentoftheDhamma?—foreverythingintheworldcomesaboutbecauseofthegreatcause.Eventhetranscendentdhammasarereachedbythegreatcause.ThisiswhythePaṭṭhānaissaidtobeinfiniteinitsscope.Whoevertrainstheheart,thegreatcause,untilitisclearanddazzling,iscapableofknowingeverythingofeverysortinfinitely,bothwithinandwithout.

§6.Therootinstigatorofthecycleofdeathandrebirth.

ṭhītibhūtaṁavijjā-paccayasaṅkhārā…upādānaṁ…bhavo…jāti…

Eachandeveryoneofusbornasahumanbeinghasabirthplace:wehaveourparentsasourbirthplace.SowhydidtheBuddhaformulatetheteachingonsustainedconditionsonlyfromthefactorofignoranceonwards?Whatignorancecomesfrom,hedidn’tsay.Ignorancehastohaveamotherandfatherjustaswedo,andwelearnfromtheabovelinethatṭhītibhūtaṁisitsmotherandfather.Ṭhītibhūtaṁreferstotheprimalmind.Whentheprimalmindisimbuedwithdelusion,thereisasustainingfactor:theconditionofignorance.Oncethereisignorance,itactsasthesustenanceforthefabrication

11

ofsaṅkhāra,fabrications,togetherwiththeactofclingingtothem,whichgivesrisetostatesofbecomingandbirth.Inotherwords,thesethingswillhavetokeeponarisingandgivingrisetooneanothercontinually.Theyarethuscalledsustainedorsustainingconditionsbecausetheysupportandsustainoneanother.

Knowledgeandignorancebothcomefromṭhītibhūtaṁ.Whenṭhītibhūtaṁisimbuedwithignorance,itisn’twisetoitsconditions;butwhenitisimbuedwithknowledge,itrealizesitsconditionsforwhattheyreallyare.Thisishowthematterappearswhenconsideredwiththeclearinsightleadingtoemergence(vuṭṭhāna-gaminīvipassanā).

Tosummarize:Ṭhītibhūtaṁistheprimalinstigatorofthecycleofdeathandrebirth.Thusitiscalledtherootsourceofthethree(see§12).Whenwearetocutthecycleofdeathandrebirthsothatitdisconnectsandvanishesintonothingness,wehavetotraintheprimalinstigatortodevelopknowledge,alerttoallconditionsforwhattheyreallyare.Itwillthenrecoverfromitsdelusionandnevergiverisetoanyconditionsagain.Ṭhītibhūtaṁ,therootinstigator,willstopspinning,andthiswillendourcirclingthroughthecycleofdeathandrebirth.

§7.Thesupremeposition:thefoundationforthepaths,fruitions,andnibbāna.

aggaṁṭhānaṁmanussesumaggaṁsatta-visuddhiyā:

‘Thesupremepositionistobefoundamonghumanbeings:thepathtothepurificationoflivingbeings.’Thiscanbeexplainedasfollows:Wehavereceivedourlegacyfromnamo,ourparents—i.e.,thisbody,whichhastakenahumanbirth,thehighestbirththereis.Wearesupremebeings,well-placedinasupremeposition,completewiththetreasuresofthought,word,anddeed.Ifwewanttoamassexternaltreasures,suchasmaterialwealth,money,andgold,wecan.Ifwewanttoamassinternaltreasures,suchastheextraordinaryqualitiesofthepaths,theirfruitions,andnibbāna,wealsocan.TheBuddhaformulatedtheDhammaandVinayaforushumanbeings,andnotatallforcows,horses,elephants,andsoon.Wehumanbeingsarearacethatcanpracticetoreachpurity.Soweshouldn’tbediscouragedorself-deprecating,thinkingthatwearelackinginworthorpotential,becauseashumanbeingswearecapable.Whatwedon’thave,wecangiveriseto.Whatwealreadyhave,wecanmakegreater.ThisisinkeepingwiththeteachingfoundintheVessantaraJātaka:

dānaṁdeti,sīlamrakkhati,bhāvanaṁbhavetvāekaccosaggaṁ

12

gacchati,ekaccomokkhaṁgacchati,nissaṅsayam:

‘Havingworkedatamassingskillfulnessthroughbeinggenerous,observingtheprecepts,anddevelopingthemindinlinewiththeteachingsoftheLordBuddha,thosewhoworkonlyalittlewillhavetogotoheaven,whilethosewhoaredeterminedandreallydothework—andatthesametimehavingthehelpofthepotentialandperfections(pāramī)theyhavedevelopedinthepast—willreachnibbānawithoutadoubt.’

Commonanimalsaresaidnottobesupremebecausetheycan’tactashumanbeingscan.Soitisrightlysaidthathumanbeingsarewell-placedinasupremeposition,abletoleadthemselvestothepaths,theirfruitions,andtopurenibbāna.

§8.Thestrongholdthatformsthepracticeareafortrainingoneself.

InwhichsetofprinciplesdidtheLordBuddhaestablishourstronghold?Whenweconsiderthisquestion,wefindthatheestablishedourstrongholdinthegreatestablishingsofmindfulness(satipaṭṭhāna).

Tomakeacomparisonwithworldlyaffairs:Inarmedbattleswherevictoryisatstake,itisnecessarytofindastronghold.Ifoneobtainsagoodstronghold,onecansuccessfullywardofftheweaponsoftheenemy.Andthereonecanaccumulategreatstrengthtolaunchanattack,drivingtheenemytodefeat.Suchaplaceisthuscalledastronghold,i.e.,aplacecompletewithstrongstockades,gates,moats,andembattlements.

SoitiswiththeaffairsoftheDhammawhenwetakethegreatestablishingsofmindfulnessasourstronghold,inthatthosewhogointobattlewiththeenemy—defilement—muststartoutbykeepingtrackofthebodyastheirframeofreference,becausewhensuchthingsassensualpassionarise,theyariseatthebodyandmind.Becausethesightofabodycausesthemindtobearoused,wecanconcludethatthebodyistheprovocation,andsowemustexaminethebodyasameansofstillingtheHindrances(nīvaraṇa)andcalmingthemind.

Thisisapointthatyoushouldworkatanddevelopasmuchaspossible.Inotherwords,keepinvestigatingthatpointwithoutgivingwayatall.Whenanimage(uggahanimitta)ofanypartofthebodyarises,takethatpartofthebodyasthebasicthemeforyourinvestigation.Youdon’thavetogoshiftingtootherparts.Tothinkthat,‘I'vealreadyseenthispart.OtherpartsIhaven’tseen,soI'llhavetogoandinvestigateotherparts,’isn’tadvisableatall.Evenifyouinvestigatethebodyuntilyouhaveitanalyzedminutelyintoallofitspartsthatarecomposedoftheproperties(dhātu)ofearth,water,fire,andwind—

13

thisiscalledpaṭibhāga—youshouldstillkeepexaminingthebodyasitfirstappearedintheoriginalimageuntilyouhaveitmastered.

Tomasterit,youhavetoexaminethatsamepointoverandoveragain,justaswhenyouchant.Ifyoumemorizeaparticulardiscourseandthenleaveit,withoutchantingorrepeatingitagain,you’llforgetit,anditwon’tserveanypurpose,duetoyourcomplacencyinnotmasteringit.Thesameholdstrueinyourinvestigationofthebody.Onceanimageofanypartarises,ifyoudon’tinvestigateitrepeatedly,andinsteadheedlesslyletitpass,itwon’tserveanypurposeatall.

Thisinvestigationofthebodyhasmanycitations,onebeinginourpresent-dayordinationceremony.Beforeallelse,thepreceptormusttelltheordinandthefivemeditationthemes—hairofthehead,hairofthebody,nails,teeth,andskin,i.e.,thisverybody—becauseoftheirimportance.IntheCommentarytotheDhammapada,itissaidthatanunwisepreceptorwhodoesn’tteachtheinvestigationofthebodymaydestroyhispupil’spotentialforarahantship.Soatpresentthepreceptormustfirstteachthefivemeditationthemes.

InanotherspottheBuddhataughtthatthereisnosuchthingasaBuddhaoranarahantwhohasnotfixedonatleastonepartofthebodyasameditationtheme.Thushetoldagroupof500monkswhowerediscussingtheearth—sayingthatsuchandsuchavillagehadredsoilorblacksoil,etc.—thattheywerediscussingexternalearthwhentheyshouldbeinvestigatinginternalearth.Inotherwords,theyshouldhavebeeninvestigatingthisbodyintelligently,penetratingitthroughoutandmakingitabsolutelyclear.WhentheBuddhafinishedhisdiscussionofthistopic,all500monksreachedthefruitionofarahantship.

Fromthiswecanconcludethattheinvestigationofthebodymustbeimportant.Eachandeverypersonwhoistogainreleasefromallsufferingandstresshastoinvestigatethebody.Ifwearetoaccumulategreatstrength,wemustaccumulateitbyinvestigatingthebody.EventheLordBuddha,whenhewasabouttoattainAwakening,startedoutbyinvestigatingthebreath—andwhatisthebreath,ifnotthebody?

Sothegreatestablishingsofmindfulness,startingwiththecontemplationofthebody,aresaidtobeourstronghold.Oncewehaveobtainedagoodstronghold—inotherwords,oncewehaveputtheprinciplesofthegreatestablishingsofmindfulnessintopracticeuntilwehavethemmastered—weshouldtheninvestigatethingsastheyareintermsoftheinherentnatureoftheirelements,usingthestrategiesofclearinsight,whichwillbediscussednext.

§9.Thestrategiesofclearinsight,techniquesforuprootingdefilement.

14

Thenatureofallgoodthingsisthattheycomefromthingsthataren’tgood,justaslotusesthatarefairandlovelyarebornfrommudthatisfilthyandrepulsive.Yetoncetheyriseclearofthemud,theyarecleanandpure,becomingafittingheaddressforaking,aviceroy,oracourtier,neveragainreturningtothemud.Inthistheyareliketheearnestmeditator,oneengagedinapersistenteffort.Suchapersonmustinvestigateathingthatisfilthyandrepulsiveifthemindistogainreleasefromallfilthyandrepulsivethings.

The‘thingthatisfilthyandrepulsive’hereisthebody.Thebodyisanassemblageoffilth,urine,andexcrement.Thethingsthatareexudedfromthehairofthehead,thehairofthebody,nails,teeth,skin,andsoonareallformsofexcrement.Whentheyfallintofood,peopletakeoffenseatit.Thefoodhastobethrownout,fornoonecanstomachit.Moreover,thebodyhastobeconstantlywashedandscrubbedifitistolookpresentable.Ifwedon’tcleanit,itwillsmellrankandnoonewillletuscomenear.Clothingandotheraccessories,whenawayfromthebody,arecleanandattractive,butassoonastheycomeintocontactwiththebodytheybecomedirty.Ifweletthemgowithoutwashingforalongtime,noonewillletuscomenear,becauseofthesmell.

Fromthiswecanseethatthebodyisahouseofurineandexcrement,asubha—unattractive;paṭikkūla—repulsive.Whenstillalive,it’sbadenough.Whenthereisnomorelifetoit,it’sevenmoredisgusting,tothepointwherenothingelsecancompare.Sofromtheverybeginning,allearnestmeditatorsinvestigatethebodymethodicallyuntiltheyhaveitmastered.Beforethebodybecomesclear,theyinvestigatewhicheverpartoraspectofthebodyisagreeabletotheirtemperamentuntilaparticularaspectofthebodyappearsasanuggahanimitta.Thentheyfocusonthataspect,workingatitanddevelopingitrepeatedly.

‘Workingatitanddevelopingitrepeatedly’shouldbeunderstoodasfollows:Whenricefarmersgrowrice,theyworkinthesoil,plowingthesoilandplantingriceinthesoil.Thefollowingyeartheygrowriceinthesoilagain.Theydon’tgrowtheirriceintheairorinthemiddleofthesky.Theygrowitonlyinthesoil,andthericethenfillstheirgranariesofitsownaccord.Whentheyworkrepeatedlyinthesoil,theydon’thavetoplead,‘Rice,Orice,pleasecomeandfillourgranaries.’Thericepoursinofitsownaccord.Andeveniftheyforbidit,saying,‘Rice,Orice,don’tcomeandfillourgranaries,’iftheyhavecompletedtheirworkinthesoil,there’snodoubtbutthatthericewillstillcomeandkeeptheirgranariesfull.

Inthesameway,weasearnestmeditatorsshouldkeepinvestigatingthebodyatthepointthatisagreeabletoourtemperamentsorfirstappearsforustosee.Nomatterwhat,weshouldnotneglectorabandonthatpoint.Working

15

atitrepeatedlydoesn’treferonlytothepracticeofwalkingmeditation.Weshouldbemindful,continuingourinvestigationinallplacesandatalltimes.Sitting,standing,walking,andlyingdown;eating,drinking,working,speaking,andthinking,weshouldalwayshaveall-roundmindfulnessofthepresent:Thisiswhatismeantby‘workingatitrepeatedly.’

Onceyouhaveinvestigatedthebodyuntilitisclear,youshouldthenconsiderdividingitupintoitsvariousparts,usingyourownwayofbeingmethodical.Separatethebodyintotheelementsofearth,water,fire,andwind,examiningituntilyoureallyseeitinthoseterms.Atthisstage,youmayuseanystrategiesofyourowndevisingthatareagreeabletoyourtemperament,butyoumustnotinanyeventabandontheoriginalreferencepointthatfirstappearedtoyou.Whenyouareinvestigatingatthisstage,youshouldworkatitanddevelopitrepeatedly.Don’tinvestigateonceandthenletitgoforhalfamonthoramonth.Investigateinandout,backandforth,againandagain.Inotherwords,withdrawinwardtoquietthemindandthencomeoutagaintoinvestigatethebody.Don’texclusivelyinvestigatethebodyorexclusivelyquietthemind.

Whenyouhaveinvestigatedinthiswayuntilyouhaveitthoroughlymastered,whathappensnextiswhatcomesofitsownaccord.Themindisboundtoconvergeinabigway.Andtheinstantitconverges,everythingwillappeartoconverge,beingoneandthesame.Theentireworldwillbenothingbutelements.Atthesametime,animagewillappearoftheworldasbeinglevelasadrumhead,becausetheentireworldisofoneandthesameinherentnature.Forests,mountains,people,animals—evenyouyourself—willallultimatelyhavetobeleveleddowninoneandthesameway.Togetherwiththisvision,knowledgearises,cuttingoffalldoubtsintheheart.Thisiscalledyathā-bhūta-ñāṇa-dassanavipassanā:theclearinsightthatbothknowsandseesthingsforwhattheyactuallyare.

Thisstepisnottheendpoint.Itisthebeginningofthenextstagewehavetopractice,whichweasearnestmeditatorsaretoworkatanddeveloprepeatedlyforheightenedawarenesstobemasteredandcomplete.Thenwewillseethatthementalfabricationsthatsuppose,‘Thisismine…Thatisme,’areinconstancy;andthatbecauseofattachmenttheyaresuffering—forallelementshavebeenthewaytheyareallalong:arising,aging,growingill,anddying,arisinganddeterioratingsincebeforewewereborn.Fromtimeimmemorial,thisisthewaytheyhavebeen.Butbecausetheconditionsofthemindandthefivekhandhas—rūpa,vedanā,saññā,saṅkhāra,andviññāṇa—havefabricatedandlabeledthroughouteveryexistenceuptothepresent,throughlivestoonumeroustonumber,themindhasbeendeludedintofollowingitssupposings.It’snotthecasethatoursupposingshaveattachedthemselvesto

16

us.Whenyoucomerightdowntoit,there’snodoubtbutthatallphenomenaintheworld,whetherendowedwithconsciousnessornot,havebeenthewaytheyare—arisinganddeterioratingontheirown—injustthisway.

Sowerealize,pubbeananussutesudhammesu—theseregularitiesofbehavior[literally:‘dhamma-nesses’]havebeenthiswayfromthepast.Eventhoughnoonehastoldus,weknowthatthisisjustthewaytheyhavebeen.ThisiswhytheBuddhamaintainedwithregardtothispointthathedidn’thearthisfromanyone,wasn’ttaughtthisbyanyone—forthisisjustthewaythesethingshadbeensincebeforehistime.Sowecanseethattheregularitiesinthebehaviorofallelementsareboundtobethisway.Butbecausetheconditionsofthemindhavefastenedintoallofthesethingsforsomanylives,theyhavebehavedinlinewiththosesupposings.Themindhasbeenoverwhelmedbylatenttendencies(anusaya)tothepointwhereitisdeludedintobelievingthem,andsostatesofbecomingandbirthhavebeencreatedthroughtheclingingoftheconditionsofthemind.

Thustheearnestmeditatorcomestoanalyzethingsdowninlinewiththeirinherentnature,seeingthat,

sabbesaṅkhārāaniccā,sabbesaṅkhārādukkhā:

Actsofmentalfabrication—theconditionsofthemind—arewhat’sinconstant.Theworldoflivingbeingsisconstant:Itissimplythewayitis.Analyzethesethingsintermsofthefournobletruthsasawayofrectifyingtheconditionsofthemind,sothatyoucanseeforcertain,inyourownright,thattheseconditionsofthemindareinconstantandstressful.Andthefactthatyouhaven’tseeninyourownrightthattheyareinconstantandstressfuliswhyyouhavefallenformentalfabrications.Whenyoutrulyseethis,itwillrectifytheconditionsofthemind.Therealizationwillcometoyou,

saṅkhārāsassatān’atthi:

‘Therearenomentalfabricationsthatarepermanentandlasting.’Mentalfabricationsaresimplyconditionsofthemind,likemirages.Asforlivingbeings,theyhavebeenaconstantfeatureoftheworldallalong.Whenyouknowbothsides—i.e.,thatlivingbeingsaresimplythewaytheyare,andthatmentalfabricationsaresimplyaconditionofthemindthatsupposesthem—thenṭhītibhūtaṁ,theprimalmindthathasnoconditions,cangainrelease.

Asfortheteachingthatallphenomenaorregularitiesofbehaviorarenot-self:Howcouldtheybetheself?Theirbusinessissimplytoarisethewaytheydo.ThustheBuddhataught,

17

sabbedhammāanattā:

‘Allphenomenaarenot-self.’Weasearnestmeditatorsshouldinvestigatethingstoseethemclearlyinthisway,untilthemindismadetoconverge,enablingustoseetrulyandvividlyalongtheselinesinourownright,atthesametimegivingrisetotheknowledgethataccompaniesthisvision.Thisiswhatismeantbyvuṭṭhāna-gaminīvipassanā(clearinsightleadingtoemergence).Weshouldworkatthisstageuntilitismastered,untilweseetrulyandclearly,alongwiththefullconvergenceofthemindanditsconcurrentknowledge,convergingagainstthecurrent,curingthelatenttendencies,turningsupposingintorelease;oruntilweconvergeontheprimalmindthatissimplythewayitis,tothepointwhereit’sabsolutelyclear,withtheconcurrentknowledge,

Khiṇājātiñāṇaṁhoti:‘Thereistheknowledgeofnomorebirth.’

Thisstageisnotanassumptionorasupposing.Itisn’tanythingfabricatedorconjecturedintobeing,norisitanythingthatcanbeobtainedbywanting.It’ssomethingthatappears,is,andknowsentirelyofitsownaccord.Intense,relentlesspracticeinwhichweanalyzethingsshrewdlyonourowniswhatwillcauseittoappearofitsownaccord.

Thiscanbecomparedtoriceplants.Oncewehaveproperlynourishedandcaredforthericeplant,theresults—thegrainsofrice—arenotthingsthatcanbeobtainedbywanting.Theywillappearoftheirownaccord.Ifapersonwhowantstogetriceislazyanddoesn’tcareforthericeplant,hecankeepwantingtillthedayhedies,butnoricegrainswillappearforhim.Thesameholdstruewiththerealityofrelease:Itisn’tsomethingthatcanbeobtainedbywanting.Apersonwhowantsreleasebutwhopracticeswronglyordoesn’tpractice—andwasteshistimebeinglazyuntilthedayhedies—won’tmeetwithreleaseatall.

§10.Theprimalmindisradiantandclearbynature,butisdarkenedbecauseofcorruptions.

pabhassaramidaṁbhikkhavecittaṁtañcakhoāgantukehiupakkilesehiupakkiliṭṭhaṁ:

‘Monks,thismindisoriginallyradiantandclear,butbecausepassingcorruptionsanddefilementscomeandobscureit,itdoesn’tshowitsradiance.’Thishasbeencomparedtoatreeinthepoemthatruns,

18

Atalltreewith6,000branches:Bigchameleonsswarmiteachdaybythehundreds,Smallchameleons,eachdaybythethousands.Iftheownerdoesn’twatchout,They’llbringalongmoreandmoreoftheirfriendseveryday.

Thiscanbeexplainedasfollows:Thetalltreewith6,000branches—ifwecutoffthethreezeroes,thisleavesuswithsix,whichstandsforthesixsensedoors,theentrywayforthechameleons,i.e.,thingsthatarecounterfeit,notthingsthataregenuine.Defilementsaren’tgenuine.Theyaresimplythingsthatcomedriftinginthroughthesensedoorsbythehundredsandthousands.Notonlythat,defilementsthathaven’tyetarisenwillarisemoreandmoreeverydayaslongaswedon’tfindameansforrectifyingthenatureofthemind.

Themindissomethingmoreradiantthananythingelsecanbe,butbecausecounterfeits—passingdefilements—comeandobscureit,itlosesitsradiance,likethesunwhenobscuredbyclouds.Don’tgothinkingthatthesungoesaftertheclouds.Instead,thecloudscomedriftingalongandobscurethesun.

Someditators,whentheyknowinthismanner,shoulddoawaywiththesecounterfeitsbyanalyzingthemshrewdly,asexplainedinthestrategiesofclearinsight,§9.Whentheydevelopthemindtothestageoftheprimalmind,thiswillmeanthatallcounterfeitsaredestroyed—orrather,counterfeitthingswon’tbeabletoreachintotheprimalmind,becausethebridgemakingtheconnectionwillhavebeendestroyed.Eventhoughthemindmaythenstillhavetocomeintocontactwiththepreoccupationsoftheworld,itscontactwillbelikethatofabeadofwaterrollingoveralotusleaf.

§11.One’sself-trainingasameditatorhastobeinkeepingwithone’stemperament.

Afamoushorse-traineronceapproachedtheLordBuddhaandaskedhimhowhetrainedhisdisciples.TheBuddharespondedbyaskingthetrainerhowhetrainedhorses.Thetrainerrepliedthattherewerefourkindsofhorses:(1)thoseeasytotame,(2)thoseofanintermediatesort,(3)thosegenuinelyhardtotame,and(4)thosethatcouldn’tbetamedatall,andhadtobekilled.

TheBuddhareplied,‘soitiswithme.’(1)Thoseeasytotame,i.e.,thosewhosemindsgathereasily,shouldeatenoughfoodtonourishthebody.(2)Thoseofanintermediatesort,i.e.,thosewhosemindshavesometroublesettlingdown,shouldnotbeallowedtoeatmuch—onlyalittlefood.(3)Thosegenuinelyhardtotame,i.e.,thosewhoreallyhavetroublegettingtheir

19

mindstosettledown,shouldn’teatatall,buttheyhavetobeattaññū:Theyhavetoknowtheirownstrengthandexactlyhowmuchtheywillbeabletoendure.(4)Asforthosewhocouldn’tbetamedandhadtobekilled—i.e.,thosetermedpada-paramawhocouldn’tsubduetheirmindsatall—theBuddhawouldwithdrawthebridge.Inotherwords,hewouldn’tteachthem,whichwastantamounttokillingthem.

§12.TheMūlatikaDiscourse.

Tikameansthree.Mūlameansroot.Togethertheymean‘rootsinsetsofthree.’Passion,aversion,anddelusionarethree,termedtherootsofwhatisunskillful.Cravingcomesinthrees:sensualcraving,cravingforbecoming,andcravingfornobecoming.Thefloodsandfermentations(āsava)ofthemindeachcomeinthrees:sensuality,statesofbecoming,andignorance.Ifapersonfallsinwiththesesortsofthrees,then,

tiparivattaṁ:

Heorshewillhavetokeepspinningaroundinthrees,andsothethreerealms—therealmsofsensuality,form,andformlessness—willhavetocontinueastheyare,forthesethreesaretherootsofthethreerealms.

Theremedyalsocomesinthrees:virtue,concentration,anddiscernment.Whenpeoplepracticeinlinewiththevirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentformingthecure,then,

natiparivattaṁ:

Theywon’thavetokeepspinninginthrees.Thethreerealmswon’texist.Inotherwords,theywillgainutterreleasefromthethreerealms.

§13.Onlyavisuddhidevaisanindividualtrulyatpeace.

akuppaṁsabba-dhammesuñeyyadhammāpavessanto:

‘Onemusthaveamindunarousedwithregardtoanydefilementsandmustknowallphenomenabothwithinandwithout,

-santo

inordertobecalmandatpeace.’Apersonatpeaceinthiswaywillhaveafullydevelopedsenseofconscienceandshame,mentalqualitiesthatarepureandclean,afirm,steadymind,andapersonalintegrityendowedwiththe

20

qualitiesofadeva(celestialbeing),asstatedinthestanzathatruns,

hiri-ottappa-sampannāsukkadhamma-samāhitāsantosappurisālokedeva-dhammātivuccare.

Devasbybirth—theinhabitantsofthecelestialrealms—arerepletewithsensualpleasuresandrestlesswithdefilement.Howthencantheybeatpeace?Thisstanzathusmustsurelyrefertovisuddhidevas(devasthroughpurity),i.e.,toarahants.Suchpeoplearegenuinelyatpeaceandqualifyashavingafullydevelopedsenseofconscienceandshame,togetherwith‘clearqualities,’i.e.,truepurity.

§14.Activityless-nessistheendpointoftheworld,beyondsupposingandformulation.

saccānaṁcaturopadākhīṇāsavājutimantotelokeparinibbutā

Thefournobletruths—suffering,itscause,itscessation,andthepathtoitscessation—areactivitiesinthateachtruthhasanaspectthathastobedone:Sufferinghastobecomprehended,itscauseabandoned,itscessationmadeclear,andthepathtoitscessationdeveloped.Alloftheseareaspectsthathavetobedone—andiftheyhavetobedone,theymustbeactivities.Sowecanconcludethatallfourtruthsareactivities.Thisisinkeepingwiththefirstversequotedabove,whichspeaksofthefourtruthsasfeet,stairtreads,orstepsthatmustbetakenforthetasktobefinished.

Whatfollowsisthustermedactivityless-ness—likewritingthenumerals1234567890,thenerasing1through9,leavingjust0,andnotwritinganythingmore.Whatisleftisreadas‘zero,’butitdoesn’thaveanyvalueatall.Youcan’tuseittoadd,subtract,multiply,ordividewithanyothernumerals,yetatthesametimeyoucan’tsaythatitdoesn’texist,forthereitis:0(zero).

Thisislikethediscernmentthatknowsallaround,becauseitdestroystheactivityofsupposing.Inotherwords,iterasessupposingcompletelyanddoesn’tbecomeinvolvedwithorholdontoanysupposingsatall.

Withthewords‘erasing’or‘destroying’theactivityofsupposing,thequestionarises,‘Whensupposingisentirelydestroyed,wherewillwestay?’Theansweristhatwewillstayinaplacethatisn’tsupposed:righttherewithactivityless-ness.

Thisexplanationisinlinewiththeaspectsofrealitythatappearclearlyonlytothosewhopractice,andthatpeoplewhodon’tpracticecan’tknow.Only

21

whenwelistenandthenpracticeaccordinglyuntilweseeandknowofourownaccordwillwebeabletounderstand.

Themeaningofthenextverseisthis:‘Thosewhohavenomorefermentationsextinguishthethreerealmsandaredazzling.’Inotherwords,theyhavepracticedpersistenceandmadeaninvestigation‘bhāvitobahulīkato.’Inotherwords,theyhaveworkedatitanddevelopeditrepeatedlytothepointwherethemindhasthestrengthcapableofanalyzinganddestroyingallsupposingssoastoreachactivityless-ness.Theycanthusgainreleasefromthethreerealms.

Inextinguishingthethreerealms,arahantsdon’tflyupintotherealmsofsensuality,form,andformlessness.Theystayrightwheretheyare.ThesamewastrueoftheBuddha:Whenheextinguishedthethreerealms,hewassittinginonespot,undertheBodhitree.Hedidn’tflyupintothethreerealms.Heextinguishedthematthemind—forrightthereinthemindiswherethethreerealmsexist.

Thosewhoaimatextinguishingthethreerealmsshouldthusextinguishthemintheirownhearts.Onlythenwilltheyobliterateactivity—theactofsupposing—fromtheheart,leavingjustactivityless-ness.Thisistheprimalheart,theprimalDhamma,whichknowsnodeath.

§15.Thenineabodesoflivingbeings.

Therealmsoftheheavenlybeings,thehumanrealm,andtherealmsofdestitution(apāya)areclassedasthesensualrealm,theabodeoflivingbeingswhoindulgeinsensuality.Takentogether,theycountasone.Therealmsofform,theabodesoflivingbeingswhohaveattainedrūpajhāna,arefour.Therealmsofformlessness,theabodesoflivingbeingswhohaveattainedarūpajhāna,arealsofour.Soaltogethertherearenineabodesforlivingbeings.Those—thearahants—whoarewisetothenineabodesleavethemanddon’thavetoliveinanyofthem.ThisappearsinthelastoftheNovice’sQuestions(Sāmaṇera-pañhā),‘dasanāmakiṁ’—Whatisten?—whichisanswered,‘das’ahaṅgehisamannāgatoarahātivuccatīti’—Thearahant,onewhoisendowedwithtenqualities,gainsreleasefromthenineabodesoflivingbeings.

Thiscanbecomparedtowritingthenumerals12345678910.1to9arenumbersthatcanbecounted,named,added,subtracted,multiplied,anddivided.Asforten—1and0(zero)—whenweerasethe1,becauseit’sarepetition,weareleftwith0(zero).Ifweuse0toadd,subtract,multiply,ordividewithanyothernumber,itwon’tincreasethevalueofthatnumber;and0byitselfhasnovalueatall—butyoucan’tsaythatitdoesn’texist,becausethereitis.

22

Thesameistruewiththeheart:It’sanaturewhoseattributesarelike0.When0isconnectedtoanyothernumber,itgreatlyincreasesthevalueofthatnumber.Forinstance,1connectedwith0becomes10.Soitiswiththeheart.Whenconnectedwithanything,itinstantlyproliferatesintothingselaborateandfantastic.Butwhentraineduntilitiswiseanddiscerningwithregardtoallknowablephenomena,itreturnstoitsstateas0(zero)—empty,open,andclear,beyondallcountingandnaming.Itdoesn’tstayinthenineplacesthatareabodesforlivingbeings.Instead,itstaysinaplacedevoidofsupposingandformulation:itsinherentnatureas0(zero),oractivityless-ness,asmentionedin§14.

§16.Thesignificanceofthefirstsermon,themiddlesermon,andthefinalsermon.

ThesermonsdeliveredbytheLordBuddhaatthreepointsinhiscareerhaveagreatsignificancetowhichBuddhistsshouldgivespecialthoughtandconsideration.

A.AtthebeginningoftheBuddha’scareerhedeliveredasermontothefivebrethrenattheforestintheDeerParkatIsipatananearVārānasī.Thiswashisfirstsermon,calledtheWheelofDhamma.Hestartedwiththetwoextremesthatthosewhohavegoneforthfromthehouseholdlifeshouldnotindulgein,saying,

dv’emebhikkhaveantāpabbajitenanasevitabbā:

‘Monks,therearethesetwoextremesthatthosewhohavegoneforthfromthehouseholdlifeshouldnotpursue:indulgenceinsensualpleasureandindulgenceinself-affliction.’Toexplain:Indulgenceinsensualpleasureliesonthesideoflove;indulgenceinself-affliction,onthesideofhate.Bothsidesarecausesofsufferingandstress.Whenwepracticeself-purificationandyetfallintoeitherofthesetwosides,wecan’tbesaidtohaveenteredthemiddleway,forwhenwearemakingapersistentefforttopracticeandthemindbecomesfullycalmandrelaxed,wearepleased;whenthemindthinksandbecomesrestlessanddistracted,wearedispleased.Beingpleasedisindulgenceinpleasure;beingdispleased,indulgenceinself-affliction.Beingpleasedispassion,beingdispleasedisaversion,andnotbeingwisetopassionandaversionisdelusion.

Whoevermakesanefforttodeveloppersistenceinconcentrationhastostartoutbyrunningintothesetwoextremes.Ifwerunintotheseextremes,weareclassedaswrong,butit’sonlynormalthatwebewrongbeforewecanbe

23

right.EventheBuddha,beforehisAwakening,wascompletelywronginjustthesameway.Evenhistwoforemostdiscipleswerewrong—andheldperniciousdoctrinestoboot.Alltheotherdisciplesstartedoutwrongfromthebeginningaswell.

ButwhentheBuddhacametofollowthemiddlewaywhilemeditatingundertheshadeoftheBodhitree,afterhavinggainedthefirsttwoknowledges—remembranceofpreviouslifetimesandknowledgeofthedeathandrebirthoflivingbeings—inthefirsttwowatchesofthenight,hegainedthethirdknowledge—knowledgeoftheendingofmentalfermentations—inthewatchtowarddawn.Thiswaswhenhefoundthegenuinemiddleway,releasinghismindfromtheerrorofthetwoextremes.Releasedfromtheclan,class,abodes,lineage,andlegacyofconventionandsupposing,heattainedtheclan,class,abode,lineage,andlegacyoftheNobleOnes.TheNobleDisciplescametoknowfollowingtheBuddha,actingcorrectlyinlinewiththeknowledgeoftheendingofmentalfermentations,andgainedreleasefromerrorjustashehad.

Asforusasmeditators,intheverybeginningit’sonlynormalthatwewillhavetobewrong.Aslongasweletourselvesbepleasedanddispleasedinthedevelopmentofmeritandskillfulness,wefallundertheswayofthewaysoftheworld(lokadhamma),andwhenweareundertheswayofthewaysoftheworld,weareshakenbypleasureanddispleasure.Thisiscalledbeingshakenbackandforth.

uppannokhome:

Wheredothewaysoftheworldarise?Inourselves.Thewaysoftheworldhaveeightfactors,andthepaththatcuresthemhaseightaswell.Theeightfoldpathisthecurefortheeightwaysoftheworld.ThustheBuddhataughtthemiddlewayasthecureforthetwoextremes.

Oncewehavecuredourselvesofthetwoextremes,weenterthenoblepath,cuttingacrossthecurrentsoftheworld,makingthemindcāgopaṭinissaggomuttianālayo—relinquish,release,andresteasy.

Tosummarize:Aslongasthetwoextremesstillexistintheheart,itisnotontherighttrack.Butwhentheheartgainsreleasefromthetwoextremes,itbecomesunshakable:freefromimpuritiesandsafefromtheflood.ThisiswhythemeaningoftheWheelofDhammaisverysignificant.WhentheBuddhaexplainedtheWheelofDhamma,itcausedtheelementsoftheworldtotremble.Andwhenthemessageissosignificant,howcouldtheyhelpbuttremble?Theelementsoftheworldarenothingelsebutthisverybodyofours.Ourbodyiscomposedoftheworld’selementsandittremblesbecausethemindseesintosomethingithasneverseenbefore.Thefactthatthemindis

24

releasedfromthetwoextremesiswhatcausestheelementsoftheworldtotremble.Theytremblebecausethemindisnotcomingbacktogiverisetothemeveragain.

B.Atthemid-pointoftheBuddha’scareerhedeliveredthePāṭimokkhaExhortationtoanassemblyof1,250arahantsattheSquirrels’FeedingGroundintheRoyalBambooForestnearRājagaha.Oneoftheimportantpointswas,

adhicittecaāyogoetaṁbuddhāna-sāsanaṁ:

‘Commitmenttotheheightenedmind:ThatistheteachingoftheBuddhas.’Toheightenthemind,wehavetobecalmandatpeace.

icchālobha-samāpannosamaṇokiṁbhavissati:

‘Whenweareendowedwithdesire—greedy,struggling,anddeluded—howcanwebecalmandatpeace?’Weneedtopracticebyfollowingthedisciplineasourstartingpointandbydevelopingourmeditationtheme,beginningwithwalkingandsittingmeditation.Wemustworkatourcontemplationofthegreatestablishingsofmindfulnessanddevelopitrepeatedly,startingbykeepingtrackofthebodyasourframeofreference.Atfirstweshouldcontemplatethepartsofthebodybymeansofparikammasavana,i.e.,bymeansofconjecture—thatthispartislikethat,andthatislikethis—becauseifwedothismindfully,withalertness,themindwon’twanderfarfromthebodyandwillsettledowneasily.Whenwepracticeparikammasavanarepeatedly,anuggahanimittawillarise.Weshouldthenmasterthatstageuntilwereachpaṭibhāga,analyzingthevisionintoitsparts.Whenwemasterpaṭibhāgafully,itwillturnintoinsightmeditation.Wethendevelopinsightmeditationtoitshighestdegreesothatthemindwillreachṭhītibhūtaṁ,asdiscussedinthestrategiesofclearinsight.Thisiswhatismeantby‘practice.’Whenwehavepracticed,

mokkhaṁ:

Wewillcrossoverandbeyond.It’sbecauseofthepracticesthatwehavedonetocompletionthatwewillcrossoverandbeyond—i.e.,beyondtheworld.Thisiswhatismeantbythetranscendentdhammas.

khemaṁ:

Wewillgainrelieffrombondage.Thusthemessageofthemiddlesermonissignificantbecauseitaimsat

25

release.

C.Attheendofhiscareer,whenhewasabouttoentertotalnibbāna,theBuddhadeliveredhisfinalsermoninthemidstofagatheringofNobleDisciplesintheRoyalSālaForestoftheMallangentryofKusināra,saying,

handadāniāmantayāmivobhikkhave,paṭivediyāmivobhikkhave,khaya-vaya-dhammāsaṅkhārā,appamādenasampādetha:

‘Isaytoyou,monks,donotbecomplacent.Contemplatefabricationsthatariseandthendecay.Whenyoucontemplateinthismanner,youwillpenetratecompletely.’Thatwasallhesaid,andheneversaidanythingfurther.Thisisthussaidtobehisfinalsermon.

Toexplainthemeaning:Wheredofabricationsarise?Whatarefabrications?Fabricationsariseinourownminds.Theyareaneffectorconditionofthemindthatgivesrisetoallsupposings.Thesefabricationsaretheculpritsthatsupposeandformulateeverythingintheworld.Actually,thethingsoftheworld—intheirelementarypropertiesasphenomena—aresimplythewaytheyare.Earth,trees,mountains,sky,andsunshinedon’tsaythattheyareanythingatall.Eventhehumanbody,whichisalsocomposedoftheworld’selements,doesn’tsaythatitisthisorthat.Mentalfabricationistheculpritthatstylesthesethingsasbeingthisorthat—andwefallforwhatitsaysasbeingtrue,holdingthatallthesethingsareoursorourselves.Passion,aversion,anddelusionthusarise,causingtheprimalmindtostraydeludedlyafterbirth,aging,illness,anddeath,circlingaroundendlesslythroughinnumerablestatesofbecomingandbirth—allthroughtheinstigationofmentalfabrication.

ThisiswhytheBuddhataughtustocontemplatementalfabricationsasinconstantandstressful:

sabbesaṅkhārāaniccā,sabbesaṅkhārādukkhā.

Wekeepatthisuntilweseethemwithfullandclearcomprehension—whicharisesasthefruitofhavingearlierdevelopedpaṭibhāga—tothepointwherethemindentersthebhavaṅga,itsunderlyingstate.Whenthecurrentofthebhavangadisappears,agenuinelyintuitiveunderstandingwillariserightattheheart:‘That’sjusthowtheyare—inconstantandstressful.’Whenwemasterthisandseeitclearlyanddistinctly,wewillthenbewisetomentalfabrications.Mentalfabricationswillnolongerbeabletofabricatethemindintobecomingarousedeveragain,asstatedintheverse,

akuppaṁsabba-dhammesuñeyyadhammāpavessanto:

Whenmentalfabricationcannolongerfabricatethemind,themind

26

doesn’tbecomearoused.Itiswisetoallknowabledhammas,

-santo:

andthuscalmandatpeace,reachingrelease.Thewordsofthisfinalsermonaretrulysignificant.Theycanmakethe

personwhocontemplatesthemawakentotheultimatedegree—whichiswhytheBuddhastoppedspeakingandsaidnomore.

ThesermonsgivenatthesethreepointsintheBuddha’scareerhaveasignificanceoverandbeyondthatofanyotherheevergave.Thefirstsermonaimsatrelease,themiddlesermonaimsatrelease,thefinalsermonaimsatrelease.Inthiswayallthreeofthemwithoutexceptionaimatnothingbutrelease.

§17.Arahantsofeverysortattainbothreleasethroughconcentrationandreleasethroughdiscernment,havingdevelopedthethreefoldtrainingtocompletion.

anāsavaṁceto-vimuttiṁpaññā-vimuttiṁdiṭṭhevadhammesayaṁabhiññāsacchikatvā

upasampajjaviharanti:

‘Theydwellwithoutfermentation,havingenteredthereleasethroughconcentrationandreleasethroughdiscernmentrealizedandverifiedbythemselvesintheverypresent.’

ThispassagefromtheCanonshowsthatarahantsofnomatterwhatsortreachbothreleasethroughconcentrationandreleasethroughdiscernment,freefromfermentationsinthepresent.Nodistinctionsaremade,sayingthatthisorthatgroupreachesreleaseonlythroughconcentrationoronlythroughdiscernment.TheexplanationgivenbytheCommentators—thatreleasethroughconcentrationpertainstothosearahantswhodevelopconcentrationfirst,whilereleasethroughdiscernmentpertainstothe‘dryinsight’arahants,whodevelopinsightexclusivelywithouthavingfirstdevelopedconcentration—runscountertothepath.Theeightfoldpathincludesbothrightviewandrightconcentration.Apersonwhoistogainreleasehastodevelopalleightfactorsofthepath.Otherwiseheorshewon’tbeabletogainrelease.Thethreefoldtrainingincludesbothconcentrationanddiscernment.Apersonwhoistoattainknowledgeoftheendingofmentalfermentationshastodevelopallthreepartsofthethreefoldtrainingcompletely.

Thisiswhywesaythatarahantsofeverysorthavetoreachbothrelease

27

throughconcentrationandreleasethroughdiscernment.

28

TheEver-presentTruth

§1.Therootmeditationthemes

HasanyoneeverbeenordainedintheBuddha’sreligionwithouthavingstudiedmeditation?Wecansaycategoricallyno—therehasn’t.Thereisn’tasinglepreceptorwhodoesn’tteachmeditationtotheordinandbeforepresentinghimwithhisrobes.Ifapreceptordoesn’tteachmeditationbeforehand,hecannolongercontinuebeingapreceptor.Soeverypersonwhohasbeenordainedcanbesaidtohavestudiedmeditation.Thereisnoreasontodoubtthis.

Thepreceptorteachesthefivemeditationthemes:kesā,hairofthehead;lomā,hairofthebody;nakhā,nails;dantā,teeth;andtaco,skin.Thesefivemeditationthemesendwiththeskin.Whyarewetaughtonlyasfarastheskin?Becausetheskinisanespeciallyimportantpartofthebody.Eachandeveryoneofushastohaveskinasourwrapping.Ifwedidn’thaveskin,ourhead-hairs,body-hairs,nails,andteethwouldn’tholdtogether.They’dhavetoscatter.Ourflesh,bones,tendons,andalltheotherpartsofthebodywouldn’tbeabletostaytogetheratall.They’dhavetoseparate,tofallapart.

Whenwegetinfatuatedwiththehumanbody,theskiniswhatweareinfatuatedwith.Whenweconceiveofthebodyasbeingbeautifulandattractive,anddeveloplove,desire,andlongingforit,it’sbecauseofwhatweconceiveoftheskin.Whenweseeabody,wesupposeittohaveacomplexion—fair,ruddy,dark,etc.—becauseofwhatweconceivethecoloroftheskintobe.Ifthebodydidn’thaveskin,whowouldconceiveittobebeautifulorattractive?Whowouldloveit,likeit,ordesireit?We’dregarditwithnothingbuthatred,loathing,anddisgust.Ifitweren’twrappedinskin,theflesh,tendons,andotherpartsofthebodywouldn’tholdtogetherandcouldn’tbeusedtoaccomplishanythingatall—whichiswhywesaytheskinisespeciallyimportant.Thefactthatwecankeeponlivingisbecauseoftheskin.Thefactthatwegetdeludedintoseeingthebodyasbeautifulandattractiveisbecauseithasskin.Thisiswhypreceptorsteachonlyasfarastheskin.

Ifwesetourmindsonconsideringtheskinuntilweseeitasdisgustingandgainavisionofitsunlovelinessappearingunmistakablytotheheart,weare

29

boundtoseetheinherenttruthsofinconstancy,stress,andnot-selfness.Thiswillcureourdelusionsofbeautyandattractivenessthatarefixatedontheskin.Wewillnolongerfocusanyconceivingsonitorfinditappealingordesirable,forwehaveseenitforwhatitis.Onlywhenweheedourpreceptors’instructionsandnottakethemlightlywillweseetheseinherenttruths.Ifwedon’theedourpreceptors’instructions,wewon’tbeabletocureourdelusions,andinsteadwillfallintothesnaresofenticingpreoccupations—intothewheelsofthecycleofrebirth.

Sowe’vealreadybeenwell-taughtbyourpreceptorssincethedayofourordination.Thereisnoreasontolookforanythingfurther.Ifwe’restillunsure,ifwe’restilllookingforsomethingmore,thatshowsthatwearestillconfusedandlost.Ifweweren’tconfused,whatwouldwebelookingfor?Anunconfusedpersondoesn’thavetolookforanything.Onlyaconfusedpersonhastogolooking.Themorehegoeslooking,thefurtherhegetslost.Ifapersondoesn’tgolooking,butsimplyconsiderswhatisalreadypresent,hewillseeclearlytherealitythatisinherentlyprimalandunmoving,freefromtheyokesandfermentationsofdefilement.

Thissubjectisnotsomethingthoughtupbythepreceptorstobetaughttotheordinandinlinewithanyone’sopinion.ItcomesfromthewordoftheLordBuddha,whodecreedthatthepreceptorshouldteachtheordinandtheseessentialmeditationthemesforhisconstantconsideration.Otherwise,ourordinationwouldn’tbeinkeepingwiththefactthatwehaverelinquishedthelifeofhomeandfamilyandhavecomeouttopracticerenunciationforthesakeoffreedom.Ourordinationwouldbenothingmorethanasham.ButsincetheBuddhahasdecreedthismatter,everypreceptorhascontinuedthistraditiondowntothepresent.Whatourpreceptorshavetaughtusisn’twrong.It’sabsolutelytrue.Butwesimplyhaven’ttakentheirteachingstoheart.We’vestayedcomplacentanddeludedofourownaccord—forpeopleofdiscretionhaveaffirmedthattheseteachingsarethegenuinepathtopurity.

§2.Virtue.

sīlamsilāviya:Virtueislikerock.

Virtue—normalcy—islikerock,whichissolidandformsthebasisoftheground.Nomatterhowmuchthewindmaybuffetandblow,rockdoesn’twaverorflinch.

Ifwesimplyholdtotheword“virtue,”though,wecanstillgoastray.Weneedtoknowwherevirtuelies,whatitis,andwhomaintainsit.Ifweknow

30

thefactormaintainingit,wewillseehowthatfactorformstheessenceofvirtue.Ifwedon’tunderstandvirtue,we’llendupgoingastrayandholdingjusttotheexternalsofvirtue,believingthatwehavetolookforvirtuehereoraskforthepreceptstherebeforewecanhavevirtue.Ifwehavetolookforitandaskforit,doesn’tthatshowthatwe’reconfusedaboutit?Isn’tthatasignofattachmenttotheexternalsofpreceptsandpractices?

Peoplewhoaren’tconfusedaboutvirtuedon’thavetogolookingoraskingforit,becausetheyknowthatvirtueexistswithinthemselves.Theythemselvesaretheoneswhomaintaintheirvirtuebyavoidingfaultsofvariouskinds.

Intentioniswhatformstheessenceofvirtue.Whatisintention(cetanā)?Wehavetoplaywiththiswordcetanāinordertounderstandit.Changethe“e”toan“i,”andaddanother“t.”Thatgivesuscitta,themind.Apersonwithoutamindcan’tbecalledaperson.Ifwehadonlyabody,whatcouldweaccomplish?Thebodyandmindhavetorelyoneachother.Ifthemindisn’tvirtuous,thebodywillmisbehaveinallsortsofways.Thisiswhywesaythatthereisonlyonevirtue:thatofthemind.Thepreceptsdealsimplywiththeflawsweshouldavoid.Whetheryouavoidthefiveflaws,theeight,theten,orthe227,yousucceedinmaintainingtheoneandthesamevirtue.Ifyoucanmaintainthisonevirtue,yourwordsanddeedswillbeflawless.Themindwillbeatnormalcy—simple,solid,andunwavering.

Thissortofvirtueisn’tsomethingyougolookingoraskingfor.Whenpeoplegolookingandasking,it’sasignthey’repooranddestitute.Theydon’thaveanything,sotheyhavetogobegging.Theykeeprequestingtheprecepts,overandoveragain.Themoretheyrequestthem,themoretheylackthem.Thepoorertheybecome.

Wearealreadyendowedwithbodyandmind.Ourbodywehavereceivedfromourparents;ourmindisalreadywithus,sowehaveeverythingweneedinfullmeasure.Ifwewanttomakethebodyandmindvirtuous,weshouldgorightaheadanddoit.Wedon’thavetothinkthatvirtuelieshereorthere,atthisorthattime.Virtuealreadyliesrightherewithus.Akāliko:Ifwemaintainitatalltimes,wewillreapitsrewardsatalltimes.

ThispointcanbeconfirmedwithreferencetothetimeoftheBuddha.Whenthefivebrethren;Ven.Yasa,hisparents,andhisformerwife;theKassapabrothersandtheirdisciples;KingBimbisāraandhisfollowing,etc.,listenedtotheBuddha’steachings,theydidn’taskforthepreceptsbeforehand.TheBuddhastartedrightinteachingthem.Sowhyweretheyabletoattainthenoblepathsandfruitions?Wheredidtheirvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentcomefrom?TheBuddhanevertoldthemtoaskhimforvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment.Oncetheyhadsavoredthetasteofhisteachings,thenvirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentdevelopedwithinthem

31

oftheirownaccord,withoutanyaskingorgivingtakingplace.Noonehadtotakethevariousfactorsofthepathandputthemtogetherintoawhole,forineachcase,virtue,concentration,anddiscernmentwerequalitiesofoneandthesameheart.

Soonlyifwearen’tdeludedintosearchingoutsideforvirtuecanweberankedastrulydiscerning.

§3.Potential

Thetraitsthatpeoplehavecarriedoverfromthepastdifferinbeinggood,bad,andneutral.Theirpotentialfollowsalongwiththeirtraits—i.e.,higherthanwhattheycurrentlyare,lower,oronapar.Somepeoplehavedevelopedahighpotentialtobegood,butiftheyassociatewithfools,theirpotentialwilldevelopintothatofafool.Somepeopleareweakintermsoftheirpotential,butiftheyassociatewithsages,theirpotentialimprovesandtheybecomesages,too.Somepeopleassociatewithfriendswhoareneithergoodnorbad,wholeadthemneitherupnordown,andsotheirpotentialstaysonamediocrelevel.

Forthisreason,weshouldtrytoassociatewithsagesandwisepeoplesoastoraisethelevelofourpotentialprogressivelyhigherandhigher,stepbystep.

§4.Contemplatingthebody

Wehaveallcomeheretostudyofourownaccord.Notoneofuswasinvitedtocome.So,aswehavecometostudyandpractice,weshouldreallygiveourselvestothepractice,inlinewiththeexamplesetbytheBuddhaandhisarahantdisciples.

Attheverybeginning,youshouldcontemplateallfourtruths—birth,aging,illness,anddeath—thatalltheNobleOneshavecontemplatedbeforeus.Birth:Wehavealreadybeenborn.Whatisyourbodyifnotaheapofbirth?Illness,aging,anddeathareallanaffairofthisheap.Whenwecontemplatethesethingsinallfourpositions—bypracticingsittingmeditation,walkingmeditation,meditationwhilestandingorlyingdown—themindwillgatherintoconcentration.Ifitgathersbriefly,that’scalledmomentaryconcentration.Inotherwords,themindgathersandrevertstoitsunderlyinglevelforashortwhileandthenwithdraws.Ifyoucontemplatewithoutretreating,untilanuggahanimitta(arisingimage)ofapartofthebodyappearswithinorwithout,contemplatethatimageuntilthemindletsgoofitandrevertstoitsunderlyinglevelandstaysthereforafairwhilebeforewithdrawingagain.Concentrationonthisleveliscalledthresholdconcentration.

32

Keeponcontemplatingthatimageuntilthemindrevertstoafirmstanceonitsunderlyinglevel,reachingthesinglenessofthefirstlevelofjhāna.Whenthemindwithdraws,keepcontemplatingthatimageoverandoveragainuntilyoucantakeitapartasapaṭibhāganimitta(counterpartimage).Inotherswords,contemplatewhatthebodywillbelikeafteritdies.It’llhavetodisintegrateuntilonlythebonesareleft.Focusonthistruthwithinyou—asitappliestoyourownbody—aswellaswithout—asitappliestothebodiesofothers.Seewhatthevariouspartsofthebodyare:“Thisishair”...“Thesearenails”...“Theseareteeth”...“Thisisskin.”Howmanytendonsarethere?Howmanybones?Getsothatyoucanseethesethingsclearly.Visualizethebodycomingtogetheragain—sitting,standing,walking,andlyingdown—andthendyingandrevertingtoitsoriginalstate:itsoriginalpropertiesofearth,water,fire,andwind.

Whenyoucontemplatethiswayrepeatedlybothwithinandwithout,visualizingthebodynewlydeadandlongdead,withdogsandvulturesfightingoverit,yourmindwilleventuallycometogainintuitiveinsightinlinewithyourpotential.

§5.Purifyingthemind

sacitta-pariyodapanaṁetaṁbuddhāna-sāsanaṁ:

Topurifyone’sownmindistofollowtheBuddhas’teachings.

TheBuddha,ourforemostteacher,taughtaboutbody,speech,andmind.Hedidn’tteachanythingelse.Hetaughtustopractice,totrainourminds,touseourmindstoinvestigatethebody:Thisiscalledthecontemplationofthebodyasaframeofreference.Wearetaughttotrainourmindfulnessthoroughlyinthepracticeofinvestigating—thisiscalledtheanalysisofphenomena(dhamma-vicaya,oneofthefactorsofAwakening)—untilitreachesapointofsufficiency.WhenwehaveinvestigatedenoughtomakemindfulnessitselfafactorofAwakening,themindsettlesdownintoconcentrationofitsownaccord.

Therearethreelevelsofconcentration.Inmomentaryconcentration,themindgathersandsettlesdowntoafirmstanceandreststhereforamomentbeforewithdrawing.Inthresholdconcentration,themindgathersandsettlesdowntoitsunderlyinglevelandstaysthereafairwhilebeforewithdrawingtobeawareofanimittaofonesortoranother.Infixedpenetration,themindsettlesdowntoafirmstanceonitsunderlyinglevelandstopstherein

33

singleness,perfectlystill—awarethatitisstayingthere—endowedwiththefivefactorsofjhāna,whichthenbecomegraduallymoreandmorerefined.

Whenwetrainthemindinthisway,wearesaidtobeheighteningthemind,asinthePaliphrase,

adhicittecaāyogoetaṁbuddhāna-sāsanaṁ:Toheightenthemind

istofollowtheBuddhas’teachings.

Thecontemplationofthebodyisapracticethatsages—includingtheLordBuddha—havedescribedinmanyways.Forexample,intheMahasatipaṭṭhānaSutta(GreatEstablishingsofMindfulnessDiscourse),hecallsitthecontemplationofthebodyasaframeofreference.Intherootthemesofmeditation,whichapreceptormustteachatthebeginningoftheordinationceremony,hedescribesthecontemplationofhairsofthehead,hairsofthebody,nails,teeth,andskin.IntheDhammacakkappavattanaSutta(DiscourseontheTurningoftheWheelofDhamma),heteachesthatbirth,aging,anddeatharestressful.

Wehavealltakenbirthnow,haven’twe?Whenwepracticesoastoopanayiko—taketheseteachingsinwardandcontemplatethembyapplyingthemtoourselves—wearenotgoingwronginthepractice,becausetheDhammaisakāliko,ever-present;andāloko,blatantlyclearbothbydayandbynight,withnothingtoobscureit.

§6.Themethodofpracticeforthosewhohavestudiedagreatdeal

PeoplewhohavestudiedalotoftheDhammaandVinaya—whohavelearnedalargenumberofapproachestogetherwiththeirmanyramifications—whentheythencometotraintheirminds,findthattheirmindsdon’tsettledowneasilyintoconcentration.Theyneedtorealizethattheymustfirsttaketheirlearningandputitbackontheshelfforthetimebeing.Theyneedtotrain“whatknows”—thisverymind—developingtheirmindfulnessuntilitissuper-mindfulness,theirdiscernmentuntilitissuper-discernment,sothattheycanseethroughthesuper-deceitsofconventionaltruthandcommonassumptionsthatsetthingsup,namingthem,“Thisisthis,”and“Thatisthat”—days,nights,months,years,earth,sky,sun,moon,constellations,everything—allthethingsthatthought-formations,theconditionsoreffectsofthemind,setupasbeingthisorthat.

Oncethemindcanseethroughtheseeffectsofthemind,thisiscalled

34

knowingstressanditscause.Onceyoupracticethisthemeanddevelopitrepeatedlyuntilyouarequickatseeingthroughthesethings,themindwillbeabletogatherandsettledown.Tofocusinthiswayiscalleddevelopingthepath.Andwhenthepathreachesapointofsufficiency,thereisnoneedtospeakofthecessationofstress:Itwillappearofitsownaccordtothepersonwhopractices—becausevirtue,concentration,anddiscernmentallexistinourveryownbody,speech,andmind.Thesethingsaresaidtobeakāliko:ever-present.Opanayiko:Whenmeditatorscontemplatewhatalreadyexistswithinthem,then—paccattaṁ—theywillknowforthemselves.Inotherwords,wecontemplatethebodysoastoseeitasunattractiveandvisualizeitasdisintegratingbackintoitsprimarypropertiesintermsoftheprimalDhammathatisblatantlyclearbothbydayandbynight.

Whencontemplating,youshouldkeepthisanalogyinmind:Whenpeoplegrowrice,theyhavetogrowitintheearth.Theyhavetogowadingthroughthemud,exposedtothesunandrain,beforetheycangetthericegrains,thehuskedrice,thecookedrice,andcanfinallyeattheirfill.Whentheydothis,theyaregettingtheirriceentirelyfromthingsthatalreadyexist.Inthesameway,meditatorsmustdevelopvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment,whichalreadyexistinthebody,speech,andmindofeveryperson.

§7.Theprinciplesofthepracticeareever-present

Withregardtotheprinciplesofourpractice,there’snorealproblem.Opanayiko:Bringthemindinwardtoinvestigatebody,speech,andmind—thingsthatareakāliko,ever-present;āloko,blatantlyclearbothbydayandbynight;paccattaṁveditabboviññūhi,tobeknownbythewiseforthemselves—justasthesagesofthepast,suchastheBuddhaandtheNobleDisciples,knewclearlyforthemselvesafterbringingtheirmindsinwardtocontemplatewhatwasalreadythere.

It’snotthecasethatthesethingsexistatsometimesandnotatothers.Theyexistatalltimes,ineveryera.Thisissomethingweasmeditatorscanknowforourselves.Inotherswords,whenwemakeamistake,weknowit.Whenwedothingscorrectly,weknowitwithinourselves.Howgoodorbadweare,weareboundtoknowbetterthananyoneelse—aslongaswearepersistentinourcontemplationanddon’tletourselvesgrowcomplacentorheedless.

AnexamplefromthepastisthatofthesixteenyoungstudentsoftheBrahminteacher,Bāvarī.Theyhadpracticedjhānatothepointwheretheywerestuckonrūpajhānaandarūpajhāna.TheBuddhathustaughtthemtocontemplatewhatwasalreadyinsidethemsoastoseeitclearlywithdiscernment—toseethelevelofsensualityaslyingbelow,thelevelof

35

formlessnessaslyingabove,andthelevelofformasinthemiddle;toseethepastasbelow,thefutureasabove,andthepresentasinthemiddle.Thenhetaughtthemtolookinsidethemselves—fromthefeetbelow,tothetipsofthehairabove,andallaroundinbetween.

Oncetheyhadcontemplatedinthisway,theycametoknowclearlyforthemselves.Thisendedtheirdoubtsabouthowtopractice,andtheynolongerhadtogotothetroubleoflookinganywhereelse.

§8.ListeningtotheDhammaatalltimes

Asameditator,youshouldusethestrategyoflisteningtotheDhammaatalltimes,evenwhenlivingalone.Inotherwords,contemplatetheDhammabothdayandnight.Theeye,ear,nose,tongue,andbodyarephysicalphenomena(rūpa-dhamma)thatarealwayspresent.Sights,sounds,smells,tastes,andtactilesensationsarealsopresentforyoutosee,hear,smell,taste,andtouch.Themind?Ittooispresent.Yourthoughtsandfeelingsaboutvarioustopics—goodandbad—arepresentaswell.Developmentanddecay,bothwithinyouandwithout,arealsopresent.Thesethingsnaturallydisplaythetruth—inconstancy,stress,andnot-selfness—foryoutoseeatalltimes.Whenaleafgrowsyellowandfallsfromthetree,forinstance,it’sshowingyouthetruthofinconstancy.

Sowhenyoucontinuallyusethisapproachtocontemplatethingswithyourmindfulnessanddiscernment,youaresaidtobelisteningtotheDhammaatalltimes,bothbydayandbynight.

36

TheBalladofLiberationfromtheKhandhas

NamatthusugatassaPañcadhamma-khandhāni

IpayhomagetotheoneWell-gone,theForemostTeacher,theSakyanSage,theRightlySelf-AwakenedOne;&totheninetranscendentDhammas;&totheNobleSaṅgha.

IwillnowgiveabriefexpositionoftheDhammakhandhas,asfarasIunderstandthem.

Oncetherewasamanwholovedhimselfandfeareddistress.Hewantedhappinessbeyondthereachofdanger,sohewanderedendlessly.Whereverpeoplesaidthathappinesswasfound,helongedtogo,butwanderingtookalong,longtime.Hewasthesortofmanwholovedhimselfandreallydreadeddeath.Hetrulywantedreleasefromaging&mortality.Thenonedayhecametoknowthetruth,abandoningthecauseofsuffering&compoundedthings.Hefoundacaveofwonders,ofendlesshappiness,i.e.,thebody.Ashegazedthroughoutthecaveofwonders,hissufferingwasdestroyed,hisfearsappeased.Hegazedandgazedaroundthemountainside,Experiencingunboundedpeace.

37

Hefearedifheweretogoandtellhisfriends,they’dsayhe’dgoneinsane.He’dbetterstayalone,engagedinpeace,abandoninghisthoughtsofcontact,thantoroamaround,asycophant,bothcriticized&flattered,exasperated&annoyed.

Butthentherewasanothermanafraidofdeath,hisheartallwithered&discouraged.Hecametomeandspokefranklyinapitifulway.Hesaid,“You’vemadeaneffortatyourmeditationforalongtimenow.Haveyouseenityet,thetrueDhammaofyourdreams?”(Eh!Howisitthatheknowsmymind?)Heaskedtostaywithme,soIagreed.“I’lltakeyoutoamassivemountainwithacaveofwondersfreefromsuffering&stress:

mindfulnessimmersedinthebody.Youcanviewitatyourleisuretocoolyourheartandendyourtroubles.ThisisthepathoftheNoblelineage.It’suptoyoutogoornot.I’mnotdeceivingorcompellingyou,justtellingyouthetruthforwhatitis.”AndthenIchallengedhimwithriddles.First:

“Whatruns?”

“Whatrunsquicklyisviññāṇa,movementswalkinginarow,oneafteranother.Notdoubtingthatsaññāsareright,theheartgetscaughtupintherunningback&forth.Saññāsgrabholdofthingsoutsideandpullthemintofoolthemind,Makingitthinkinconfusion&gooutsearching,wanderingastray.Theyfoolitwithvariousdhammas,likeamirage.”

38

“Whatgainstotalreleasefromthefivekhandhas?”

“Theheart,ofcourse,&theheartalone.Itdoesn’tgrasporgetentangled.Nomorepoisonofpossessiveness,nomoredelusion,

itstandsalone.Nosaññāscanfoolitintofollowingalongbehindthem.”

“Whentheysaythere’sdeath,whatdies?”

“Saṅkhārasdie,destroyingtheireffects.”

“Whatconnectsthemindintothecycle?”

“Thetricksofsaññāmakeitspin.Themindgoeswrongbecauseittrustsitssaññās,attachedtoitslikes,leavingthisplaneofbeing,goingtothat,wanderingtillit’sdizzy,forgettingitself,completelyobscuretoitself.NomatterhowhardittriestofindtheDhamma,itcan’tcatchaglimpse.”

“WhatferretsouttheDhamma?”

“Theheartferretsitout,tryingtofindouthowsaññāssay‘good’andgraspat‘bad’andforceittofastenonloving&hating.”

“Toeatonce&neverlookformore?”

“Theendofwantingtolook,toknow,tohopeforknowingmore,Theendofentanglements.Themindsitsstillonitsdais,discardingitsattachments.”

“Afour-sidedpool,brimmingfull?”

39

“Theendofdesire,abandoningdoubt,clean,withoutamote,&danger-free.Saññāssettleout,saṅkhārasdon’tdisturbit.Theheartisthusbrimming,withnothinglacking.Quiet&still,themindhasnolamentingthoughts:somethingworthadmiringdayafterday.Evenifoneweretogainheavenlytreasuresbythemillions,they’dbenomatchforthetrueknowingthatabandonsallsaṅkhāras.

Thecrucialthing:theendingofdesire.Labelsstayintheirownsphereanddon’tintrude.Themind,unenthralledwithanything,stopsitsstruggling.Liketakingamirrortolookatyourreflection:Don’tgetattachedtothesaññās,whichareliketheimage.Don’tgetintoxicatedwiththeissuesofsaṅkhāras.“Whentheheartmoves,youcancatchsightoftheunadulteratedheart.Youknowforsurethatthemovementisinyourselfbecauseitchanges.Inconstancyisafeatureoftheheartitself,noneedtocriticizeanyoneelse.Youknowthedifferentsortsofkhandhasinthemovingofthemind.

“Before,Iusedtothinkthatsaññāsweretheheart,labeling‘outer’&‘inner,’whichwaswhyIwasfooled.Nowtheheart’sincharge,withnoconcerns,nohopesofrelyingonanyonesaññāatall.Whateverarisesorpassesawaythere’snoneedtobepossessiveofsaññāsortotrytopreventthem.”

“Likeclimbingtothetopofatrulytallmountainandlookingatthelowlandsbelow,seeingeverylivingbeing.”

40

“Wayuphigh,lookingbackyouseeallyouraffairsfromtheverybeginning,formingapath,likestairs.”

“Doestherise&falloftheriveraccordwiththeTruth?”

“Youcan’tremedythechangingofsaṅkhāras.Fashionedbykamma,they’reouttospitenoone.Ifyougraspholdofthemtopushthemthisway&that,themindhastobecomedefiled&wrong.Don’tthinkofresistingthenaturalwayofallthings.Letgood&evilfollowtheirownaffairs.

Wesimplyfreeourselves.

Unentangledinsaṅkhāras:That’swhat’speaceful&cool.Whenyouknowthetruth,youhavetoletgoofsaṅkhārasassoonasyouseetheirchanging.Whenyouwearyofthem,youletthemgoeasily,withnoneedtobeforced.

TheDhammaiscooling.Themindwillstopbeingsubjectedtothings.”

“Thefivedutiescomplete?”

“Khandhasdividetheissuesoffashioningintofiverealms,eachfilledwithitsduties&affairs,withnoroomforanyother,becausetheirhandsarefull—noroomevenforfortune,status,praise,pleasure,lossoffortune,lossofstatus,criticism,pain.Theyleteachofthesefollowitsownnature,

41

inlinewithitstruth.Themind’snotentangledwithanyoftheseeight,becausephysicalkhandhaskeepcreatingaging&illnesswithoutpause.Thementalkhandhasneverrest.Theyworklikemotorsbecausetheymusttakeonthekammaofwhattheyhavedone:Goodthingsmakethementhralled&happy,badthingsagitateanddarkentheheart,makingitthinkwithoutstop,asifitwereaflame.Themindisdefiled&dull.Itsloves&hatesarethingsithasthoughtuponitsown,sowhoelsecanitblame?

“Doyouwanttoescapeaging&death?It’sbeyondtherangeofpossibility,aswhenwewantthemindtostopwanderingaroundandthinking,whenwewantittostayatoneandhopetodependonitsstillness.Themindissomethingthatchanges,

totallyuncertain.Saññāsstayinplaceonlyfromtimetotime.Oncewegrowwisetothenatureofallfivekhandhas,themindwillbeclear&clean,freefromstain,withnomoreissues.Ifyoucanknowinthisway,

it’ssuperlative,becauseyouseethetruth,

withdraw,andgainrelease.

That’stheendofthepath.Youdon’tresistthenaturalwayofthetruthofthings.Poverty&wealth,good&bad,inlinewitheventsbothwithin&without,

42

allhavetopassandvanish.Youcan’tgraspholdofanythingatwhichthemindtakesaim.

“Now,whenthemind’sinconstantonitsown—aquiver,quick—andyoucatchsightofit,that’swhenyoufindtheultimateinease.Smallthingsobscureourknowledgeofthelarge.ThekhandhastotallyobscuretheDhamma,andthat’swherewegowrong.Wewasteourtimeinwatchingkhandhassothatwedon’tseetheDhammathat,thoughgreaterthanthekhandhas,seemslikedust.”

“Thereis,thereisn’t.Thereisn’t,yetthereis.”

“HereI’mtotallystymiedandcan’tfigureitout.Pleaseexplainwhatitmeans.”

“Thereisbirthofvariouscauses&effects,buttheyarenotbeings,theyallpassaway.

Thisisclear,themeaningofthefirstpoint:Thereis,thereisn’t.Thesecondpoint,thereisn’t,yetthereis:ThisreferstothedeepDhamma,theendofallthreelevelsofexistence,wheretherearenosaṅkhāras,andyetthereisthestableDhamma.ThisistheSingularDhamma,trulysolitary.TheDhammaisOne&unchanging.excellingallbeing,extremelystill.Theobjectoftheunmovingheart,

still&atrespite,quiet&clear.

Nolongerintoxicated,nolongerfeverish,itsdesiresalluprooted,itsuncertaintiesshed,

43

itsentanglementwiththekhandhasallended&appeased,thegearsofthethreelevelsofthecosmosallbroken,overweeningdesirethrownaway,itslovesbroughttoanend,withnomorepossessiveness,alltroublescuredasthehearthadaspired.”

“Pleaseexplainthemind’spathinyetanotherway,&thecauseofsufferinginthemindthatobscurestheDhamma.”

“Thecauseisenormous,buttoputitbriefly,

it’sthelovethatputsasqueezeontheheart,

makingitconcernedforthekhandhas.IftheDhammaiswiththeheartthroughouttime,that’stheendofattachment,withnomorecauseforsuffering:

Rememberthis,it’sthepathofthemind.Youwon’thavetowonder,spinningaroundtillyou’redizzy.Themind,whentheDhamma’snotalwayswithit,getsattachedtoitslikes,concernedforthekhandhas,sunkinthecauseofsuffering.

“Soinbrief,there’ssuffering&there’stheDhammaalwayswiththemind.Contemplatethisuntilyouseethetruth,andthemindwillbecompletelycool.Howevergreatthepleasureorpain,

they’llcauseyounofear.Nolongerdrunkwiththecauseofsuffering,themind’swell-gone.Knowingjustthismuchisenough

44

tosootheyourfevers,andtorestfromyoursearchforapathtorelease.ThemindknowingtheDhammaforgetsthemindattachedtodust.TheheartknowingtheDhammaofultimateeaseseesforsurethatthekhandhasarealwaysstressful.TheDhammastaysastheDhamma,thekhandhasstayaskhandhas,that’sall.

“Andasforthephrase,‘Cool,atease,&freedfromfever,’thisreferstothemindthat’srescueditselffromtheaddictiveerror[ofcorrectingotherthings].Thesaṅkhāraaggregateoffersnopleasureandtrulyispainful,forithastoage,growill,anddieeveryday.WhenthemindknowstheunexcelledDhamma,itextractsitselffromitsdefilingerrorthataggravatesdisease.Thiserrorisafiercefaultofthemind.ButwhenitclearlyseestheDhamma,

itremovesitserror,andthere’snomorepoisonintheheart.WhenthemindseestheDhamma,

abundantlygood&releasedfromerror,

meetingtheDhamma,itshedsallthingsthatwouldmakeitrestless.It’smindful,in&ofitself,

&unentangled.Itsloveforthekhandhascomestoanend,

itslikesarecured,itsworriescease,alldustisgone.

Evenifthemindthinksinlinewithitsnature,wedon’ttrytostopit.Andwhenwedon’tstopit,itstopsrunningwild.Thisfreesusfromturmoil.

45

“Knowthatevilcomesfromresistingthetruth.

“Evilcomesfromnotknowing.Ifwecanclosethedooronstupidity,there’sultimateease.Allevilgrowssilent,perfectlystill.Allthekhandhasaresuffering,withnopleasureatall.“BeforeIwasstupid&inthedark,

asifIwereinacave.InmydesiretoseetheDhamma,Itriedtograbholdofthehearttostillit.Igrabbedholdofmentallabels,thinkingtheyweretheheartuntilitbecameahabit.DoingthisIwaslongenthralledwithwatchingthem.WrongmentallabelsobscuredthemindandIwasdeludedintoplayingaroundwiththekhandhas—

Poorme!

“Exaltingmyselfendlessly,Iwentaroundpassingjudgmentonothersbutaccomplishingnothing.Lookingatthefaultsofothers

embitterstheheart,asifweweretosetourselvesonfire,becomingsooty&burned.Whoever’srightorwrong,goodorbad,that’stheirbusiness.

Oursistomakesuretheheartlooksafteritself.

Don’tletunskillfulattitudesbuzzaroundit&land.Makeitconsummateinmerit&skill,andtheresultwillbepeace.Seeingothersasbadandoneselfasgoodisastainontheheart,foronelatchesontothekhandhathatholdstothatjudgment.

46

Ifyoulatchontothekhandhasthey’llburnyouforsure,foraging,defilement,&deathwilljoininthefray:fullofanger&love,obviousfaults,worries,sorrows,&fears,whilethefiveformsofsensualitybringintheirmultifarioustroops.Wegainnoreleasefromsuffering&dangerbecauseweholdtothefivekhandhasasours.Onceyouseeyourerror,don’tdelay.Keepconstantwatchontheinconstancyofsaṅkhāras.Whenthemindgetsusedtothis,you’resuretoseetheSingularDhamma,

solitaryinthemind.

“‘Inconstancy’referstotheheartasitmovesfromitslabels.Whenyouseethis,watchitagain&again,rightatthemoving.Whenallexternalobjectshavefadedaway,theDhammawillappear.WhenyouseethatDhamma,yourecoverfrommentalunrest.Themindthenwon’tbeattachedtodualities.Justthismuchtruthcanendthegame.

Knowingnot-knowing:That’sthemethodfortheheart.

Onceweseethroughinconstancy,themind-sourcestopscreatingissues.Allthatremainsistheprimalmind,

true&unchanging.Knowingthemind-sourcebringsreleasefromallworry&error.Ifyougoouttothemind-ends,you’reimmediatelywrong.

“‘Darkness’comesfromthemindpossessiveofwhat’sgood.Thispossessivenessisthoughtup

47

bythemind-ends.Themind-sourceisalreadygoodwhentheDhammaappears,erasingdoubt.WhenyouseethesuperlativeDhamma,surpassingtheworld,allyouroldconfusedsearchingsareuprootedandletgo.The[only]sufferingleftistheneedtosleepandeatinlinewithevents.Theheartstays,tamed,nearthemind-source,Thinking,yetnotdwellingonitsthoughts.Thenatureofthemindisthatithastothink,Butwhenitsensesthemind-sourceit’sreleasedfromitssorrows,secludedfromdisturbances,&still.

Thenatureofsaṅkhāraswhentheyappearistovanish.Theyalldecay;noneremain.

Bewareofthemindwhenyoufocusonmakingitrefined,foryou’lltendtoforceittogetstuckonthestillness.Getthehearttolookagain&againatitsinconstancy,untilit’sahabit.Whenyoureach‘Oh!’itwillcomeonitsown:

awarenessoftheheart’ssong,likeamirage.

TheBuddhasaysthecorruptionsofinsightdisguisethemselvesastruewhenactuallythey’renot.Theawarenessofmentalphenomenathatcomesonitsown,

isdirectvision,notlikehearing&understandingonthelevelofquestioning.Theanalysisofphenomena,

48

mental&physical,isalsonotvisionthatcomesonitsown:

solook.Theawarenessthatcomesonitsownisnotthethought-song.Knowingthemind-source&mind-moments,thesource-mindisreleasedfromsorrow.Themind-source’scertainautomaticknowledgeofsaṅkhāras—theaffairsofchange—isnotamatterofparadingouttoseeorknowathing.It’salsonotaknowledgebasedonlabelinginpairs.

Themindknowsitselffromthemotionofthesong.

Themind’sknowledgeofthemotionissimplyadjacentmind-moments.Infact,theycan’tbedivided:They’reallone&thesame.Whenthemindistwo,that’scalledSaññāentanglingthings.Inconstancyisitself,sowhyfocusonanyoneelse?

“Whentheheartseesitsowndecayings,it’sreleasedfromdarkness.Itlosesitstasteforthem,andabandonsitsdoubts.Itstopssearchingforthingswithin&without.Itsattachmentsallfallaway.Itleavesitsloves&hates,whateverweighsitdown.Itcanenditsdesires,itssorrowsallvanish—

togetherwiththeweightycaresthatmadeitmoan—

asifashowerofrainweretorefreshtheheart.Thecoolheartisrealizedbytheheartitself.Theheartiscoolforithasnoneedtowanderaround,lookingatpeople.

49

Knowingthemind-sourceinthepresent,it’sunshakeable&unconcernedwithanygoodorevil,fortheymustpassaway,withallotherimpediments.Perfectlystill,themind-sourceneitherthinksnorinterprets.Itstaysonlywithitsownaffairs:

noexpectations,noneedtobeentangledortroubled,noneedtokeepupitsguard.

Sittingorlyingdown,onethinksatthesource-mind:‘Released.’”

“Yourexplanationofthepathispenetrating,soencompassing&clear.

Justonemorething:Pleaseexplainindetailthemindunreleasedfromthecauseofsuffering.”

“Thecauseofsufferingisattachment&love,extremelyenthralled,creatingnewbecomingswithoutwearying.Onthelowerlevel,thestainsarethefivestrandsofsensuality;onthehigherlevel,attachmenttojhāna.Intermsofhowthesethings

actinthemind:It’sallanaffairofbeingenthralledwithsaṅkhāras,enthralledwithallthathavehappenedforalong,longtime—

seeingthemasgood,nourishingtheheartonerror,makingitbranchoutinrestlessnessdistraction.

Smittenbyerror,withnosenseofshame,enthralledwithadmiringwhateveritfancies—

50

enthralledtothepointwhereitforgetsitselfandlosesitssenseofdanger;enthralledwithviewingthefaultsofothers,upsetbytheirevil,notseeingitsownfaultsasanythingatall.Nomatterhowgreatthefaultsofothers,theycan’tmakeusfallintohell.Whileourownfaultscantakeustotheseveresthellstraightaway,eveniftheyaren’tverydefilingatall.Sokeepwatchonyourfaultsuntilitcomesnaturally.Avoidthosefaultsandyou’resuretosee

happinessfreefromdanger&fear.

Whenyouseeyourfaultsclearlycutthemrightaway.Don’tdawdleordelayoryou’llneverberidofthem.

“Wantingwhat’sgood,withoutstop:That’sthecauseofsuffering.It’sagreatfault:thestrongfearofbad.‘Good’&‘bad’arepoisonstothemind,likefoodsthatenflameahighfever.TheDhammaisn’tclearbecauseofourbasicdesireforgood.Desireforgood,whenit’sgreat,dragsthemindintoturbulentthoughtuntilthemindgetsinflatedwithevil,andallitsdefilementsproliferate.Thegreatertheerror,themoretheyflourish,takingonefurther&furtherawayfromthegenuineDhamma.”

“Thiswayofexplainingthecauseofsufferingchastensmyheart.[Atfirst]themeaningwastattered&tangled,

51

butwhenyouexplainedthepathmyheartdidn’tmove:atrespite,still,&atpeace,reachinganendatlast.”

“Thisiscalledtheattainmentofliberationfromthekhandhas,aDhammathatremainsinplace,withnocomingorgoing,agenuinenature—theonlyone—withnothingtomakeitstrayorspin.”

Withthat,thetaleisended.Rightorwrong,pleaseponderwithdiscernmenttillyouknow.

—ComposedbyPhraBhūridatto(Mun)

WATSRAPATHUM,[BANGKOK]

52

GLOSSARY

Anusaya:Latentobsession—sensualpassion,irritation,views,doubt,pride,passionforbecoming,andignorance.

Apāya:Stateofdeprivation;thefourlowestlevelsofexistence—rebirthinhell,asahungryshade,asanangrydemon,orasacommonanimal.

Arahant:Apersonwhoseheartisfreedfrommentalfermentations(seeāsava)andisthusnotdestinedforfurtherrebirth.

Āsava:Mentalfermentationoreffluent—sensualpassion,statesofbecoming,andignorance.Somelistsaddviewsasafourthmemberofthelist.

Avijjā:Ignorance,unawareness,counterfeitknowledge.

Dhamma:Event;phenomenon;thewaythingsareinandofthemselves;theirinherentqualities;thebasicprinciplesunderlyingtheirbehavior.Also,principlesofbehaviorthathumanbeingsoughttofollowsoastofitinwiththerightnaturalorderofthings;qualitiesofmindtheyshoulddevelopsoastorealizeninetranscendentqualities:thepaths,fruitions,andnibbāna.Byextension,‘Dhamma’isusedalsotorefertoanydoctrinethatteachessuchthings.

Dhātu:Element;property;potential.Thefourphysicalpropertiesarethoseofearth(solidity),water(liquidity),fire(heat),andwind(energyormotion).

Jhāna:Meditativeabsorption.Rūpajhānadenotesabsorptioninaphysicalobject;arūpajhāna,absorptioninanon-physicalobject.

Kamma:Intentionalactsthatleadtorenewedstatesofbecomingandbirth.

Khandha:Componentpartsofsensoryperception—which,whenclungto,constitutesufferingandstress:rūpa(physicalphenomena);vedanā(feelingsofpleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain);saññā(perceptions,labels,concepts,allusions);saṅkhāra(mentalfabrications,formations,processes);andviññāṇa(consciousness).

53

Lokadhamma:Waysoftheworld—fortune,loss,status,lossofstatus,praise,criticism,pleasure,andpain.

Nibbāna:Liberation;theunbindingofthemindfrompassion,aversion,anddelusion,andthusfromtheroundofdeathandrebirth.

Nīvaraṇa:Hindrancestoconcentration—sensualdesire,illwill,torpor&lethargy,restlessness&anxiety,anduncertainty.

Ogha:Flood;factorsthatsweepthemindalongtheroundofdeathandrebirth—sensualpassion,becoming,andignorance.Somelistsaddviewsasafourthmemberofthelist.

Pāramī:Perfection;qualitiesthatleadtoawakening—generosity,virtue,renunciation,discernment,persistence,endurance,truthfulness,determination,goodwill,andequanimity.

Paṭibhāga:Themanipulationofvisionsthatappearinmeditation.

Satipaṭṭhāna:Establishingofmindfulness:thepracticeofstayingfocusedonbody,feelings,mind,ormentalqualitiesinandofthemselves.

Uggahanimitta:Animageappearingspontaneouslyduringmeditation.

Upakkilesa:Mentalcorruptionordefilement—passion,aversion,anddelusionintheirvariousforms.

Vinaya:Themonasticdiscipline.

54

TableofContents

Titlepage 2Copyright 3Introduction 4AHeartReleased 8§1.PracticeiswhatkeepsthetrueDhammapure. 8§2.TofollowtheBuddha,wemusttrainourselveswellbeforetrainingothers. 8

§3.Therootinheritance,thestartingcapitalforself-training. 9§4.Therootfoundationforthepractice. 10§5.Therootcauseofeverythingintheuniverse. 10§6.Therootinstigatorofthecycleofdeathandrebirth. 11§7.Thesupremeposition:thefoundationforthepaths,fruitions,andnibbāna. 12

§8.Thestrongholdthatformsthepracticeareafortrainingoneself. 13§9.Thestrategiesofclearinsight,techniquesforuprootingdefilement. 14§10.Theprimalmindisradiantandclearbynature,butisdarkenedbecauseofcorruptions. 18

§11.One’sself-trainingasameditatorhastobeinkeepingwithone’stemperament. 19

§12.TheMūlatikaDiscourse. 20§13.Onlyavisuddhidevaisanindividualtrulyatpeace. 20§14.Activityless-nessistheendpointoftheworld,beyondsupposingandformulation. 21

§15.Thenineabodesoflivingbeings. 22§16.Thesignificanceofthefirstsermon,themiddlesermon,andthefinalsermon. 23

§17.Arahantsofeverysortattainbothreleasethroughconcentrationandreleasethroughdiscernment,havingdevelopedthethreefoldtrainingtocompletion.

27

TheEver-presentTruth 29§1.Therootmeditationthemes 29

55

§2.Virtue. 30§3.Potential 32§4.Contemplatingthebody 32§5.Purifyingthemind 33§6.Themethodofpracticeforthosewhohavestudiedagreatdeal 34§7.Theprinciplesofthepracticeareever-present 35§8.ListeningtotheDhammaatalltimes 36

TheBalladofLiberationfromtheKhandhas 37Glossary 53

56