Ajahn Maha BoowaBiodata

http://thaiforesttradition.blogspot.com/p/a-biography-of-luangta-maha-bua.html

http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/mahaboowa.htm

Phra Ajahn Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno (1913- ) Lineage: Ajahn Mun [Kammatthana]

Biography: Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa was born in Udorn-thani, North-east Thailand in 1913. He became a monk in the customary way at a local monastery and went on to study the Pali language and texts. At this time he also started to meditate but had not yet found a suitable Teacher. Then he caught sight of the Ven. Ajahn Mun and immediately felt that this was someone really special, someone who obviously had achieved something from his Dhamma practice. 

After finishing his Grade Three Pali studies he therefore left the study monastery and followed Ven. Ajahn Mun into the forests of N.E. Thailand. When he caught up with Ven. Ajahn Mun, he was told to put his academic knowledge to one side and concentrate on meditation. And that was what he did. He often went into solitary retreat in the mountains and jungle but always returned for help and advice from Ven. Ajahn Mun. He stayed with Ven. Ajahn Mun for seven years, right until the Ven. Ajahn's passing away. 

The vigor and uncompromising determination of his Dhamma practice attracted other monks dedicated to meditation and this eventually resulted in the founding of Wat Pa Bahn Tahd, in some forest near the village where he was born. This enabled his mother to come and live as a nun at the monastery. Maha boowa is currently the abbot of wat pa bahn tahd. he travelled to london and gave lectures there. He founded the help thai nation project, a charitable effort dedicated to helping the thai economic rescue effort. He was visited and supported by the King and Queen of Thailand.

Source: [From the Introduction to To the Last Breath.]

Comment: Ven. Ajahn Maha Boowa is well known for the fluency and skill of his Dhamma talks, and their

direct and dynamic approach. They obviously reflect his own attitude and the way he personally practiced Dhamma. This is best exemplified in the Dhamma talks he gives to those who go to meditate at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd. Such talks usually take place in the cool of the evening, with lamps lit and the only sound being the insects and cicadas in the surrounding jungle. He often begins the Dhamma talk with a few moments of stillness — this is the most preparation he needs — and then quietly begins the Dhamma exposition. As the theme naturally develops, the pace quickens and those listening increasingly feel its strength and depth. 

The formal Dhamma talk might last from thirty-five to sixty minutes. Then, after a more general talk, the listeners would all go back to their solitary huts in the jungle to continue the practice, to try to find the Dhamma they had been listening about — inside themselves. 

Source: [From the Introduction to To the Last Breath.]

Particular Teachings: Kammatthana

Kammatthana literally means "basis of work" or "place of work". It describes the contemplation of certain meditation themes used by a meditating monk so the forces of defilement (kilesa), craving (tanha), and ignorance (avijja) may be uprooted from the mind. Although kammatthana can be found in many meditation-related subjects, the term is most often used to identify the forest tradition (the Kammatthana tradition) lineage founded by Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera and his student Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera.

Source: www.manjushri.com/TEACH/ti-Forest.htm 

Main Temple: Wat Pah Bahn Tahdc/o Songserm Service89 Phosi Road. Udon Thani 41000 Thailand

Web site: main: www.luangta.org 

Help Thai Nation Project: members.tripod.com/~Thaihelp/emain.htm For information about the monastery: meditationthailand.tripod.com/NE/pahbanthat.html 

Centres: Wat Pa Bahn Tahd

Teachers: Ajahn Pannavaddho, Vice-abbot (English; age 65). Probably the most senior western monk in Thailand. Pannavaddho was one of the first bhikkhus to live and practise in the Hampstead Vihara with Kapilavaddho Bhikkhu in the 1960's. Wrote the "Wisdom of Samadhi " Essay download from mail.metta.lk/mirror/www.dhammaloka.org.au/pubs 

Books/Publications:

All books listed here are available online as downloads. Useful web site are: www.accesstoinsight.org 

Many of Maha Boowa's books are printed by W.A.V.E. publications, a free Dhamma book publishing service. 

Books printed by WAVE are:

Things as They Are *Autobiorgraphy of Ajahn Mun Straight from The Heart Kammathana *

Forest DhammaWisdom Develops SamadhiMode Of Practice Of Acharn Mun

*those listed with an asterisk are out of stock as of 20/12/98.

Those wishing to get a free copy of the Dhamma book OR Contribute towards the next Dhamma titles or reprint those titles which are out of stock may write to:

Wisdom Audio Visual Exchange (W.A.V.E.)Publisher of Dhamma books for free distribution.Contact: Mr Lim Tay PohNo 2, Jalan Chan Ah TongOff Jalan Tun Sambathan50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Tel: (603) 2749509, Fax: (603) 7833198Email: hockchai@tm.net.myWeb site: www.geocities.com/wave_books/index.html 

The Dhamma Teaching of Acariya Maha Boowa in London translated from the Thai by Bhikkhu Paññavaddho (1980; 324k/108pp.)

A wide-ranging collection of formal Dhamma talks and informal question-and-answer sessions, directed to a group of lay followers in London. Here you will find this memorable exchange, among many others: A questioner asked, "I would like to ask if people can practice meditation in a city like this [London]?" Maha Boowa replied, "Only the dead cannot practice meditation." 

Straight from the Heart: 13 Talks on the Practice of Meditation, by Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1996; 466k/155pp.) This collection of talks was originally given for the benefit of a lay disciple who had come to Ajahn Maha Boowa's monastery to receive guidance as she faced her approaching death from bone marrow cancer. These talks offer important lessons about how to learn from pain, illness, and death, by seeing through to their ultimate nature. 

Things as They Are: A Collection of Talks on the Training of the Mind, by Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1996; 391k/130pp.)

These extemporaneous talks were delivered to the monks living at Ajahn Maha Boowa's monastery. There is much valuable Dhamma teaching here for all meditators, monastic and lay alike. In these talks Ajahn Maha Boowa often recounts conversations with his teacher, Ajahn Mun, that reveal the power and depth of Ajahn Mun's teachings and of the teachings of the forest tradition in general. 

To the Last Breath: Dhamma Talks on Living and Dying, by Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno & Upasika Kee Nanayon, edited by Bhikkhu Ariyesako (1992; 421k/140pp.)

This book is really two books in one. The first part contains a collection of talks by Ajahn Maha Boowa (many of which were previously published in the book Amata Dhamma). Most of these talks were given for the benefit of an ill lay disciple of Ajahn Maha Boowa, Mrs. Pow-panga Vathanakul, and thus touch on many aspects of Dhamma practice concerning life, illness, and death. The second part of the book is a collection of Dhamma talks by Upasika Kee Nanayon, an extraordinary woman who was renowned for the depth of her meditation

practice and her unwavering commitment to the Dhamma. These talks have been published previously as Directions for Insight and Directing to Self-penetration; the last four of them have recently been retranslated and published in the anthology, An Unentangled Knowing. The present book stands as a powerful reminder of the universality of the Dhamma, a reminder that the door to liberation awaits all those who would put forth the effort, without regard to race, age, or gender.

The following are available from Wat Pa Bahn Tahd:

The complete List of Books

Book Title available Info Online1 1980 The Dhamma Teaching of Acariya Maha Boowa in London 2 1980 Forest Dhamma; A selection of talks on Buddhist practice 3 1980 Amata Dhamma (6 talks on Dhamma) 4 1980 The Venerable Phra Acharn Mun Bhuridatta Thera (Meditation Master) disc. 5 1987 Straight from the heart (13 talks on the practice of meditation) 6 1988 Things as they are; a collection of talks on the training of the mind (13 talks) 7 1994 Kammatthana (The basis of practice) disc. 8 1997 Patipada or the mode of practice of Venerable Acharn Mun 9 1999 A life of inner Quality (A comprehensive guide to Buddhist practice) (10 talks) 10 2004 The Biography of the Venerable Phra Acharn Mun 

Books may be ordered from the following address:The Editors, Wat Pa Barn Tard, Barn Tard, Ampher Meuang, Udorn Thani, 41000 Thailand.

Ajahn Maha BuaPhra Dharma Visuddhi Mangala (Bua Ñāṇasampaṇṇo) (RTGS: Phra Thamma Wisutthi Mongkhon (Bua

Yanasampanno); Thai: พระธรรมวิ�สุทธ�มงคล (บั�วิ ญาณสุม�ปนฺ�โนฺ)), commonly known as Ajahn Maha Bua or in

Thai Luang Ta Maha Bua (Thai: พระอาจารย์�มหาบั�วิ, หลวิงตามหาบั�วิ; the word "Ajahn" (Thai: อาจารย์�; RTGS:

Achan) means "teacher"), born as Bua Lohitdee (Thai: บั�วิ โลห�ตดี�), (August 12, 1913 – January 30, 2011), was

a ThaiBuddhist monk. Bua is one of the best known Thai Buddhist monks of the late 20th and early 21st

centuries. He was widely regarded as an Arahant— a living Buddhist saint. He was a disciple of the esteemed

forest master Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta, and was himself considered a master in the Thai Forest Tradition.[1] He

was a harsh critic of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as well as of events taking place in Watpa Salawan

after the death of its abbot Luangpho Phut.[2]

Biography[edit]

Early years[edit]

Bua was born in Baan Taad village in the northeastern province of Udon Thani. He was one of 16 children of a

rich family of rice farmers.[3] When he was 21, his parents asked him to enter the monkhood for a season, a

Thai tradition to show gratitude towards one's parents. He entered Yothanimit monastery and was ordained on

May 12, 1934 with Venerable Chao Khun Dhammachedi as his preceptor. His preceptor gave him the Pali

name 'Nanasampanno', meaning 'one endowed with wisdom'. At the time, Bua had no intention of remaining a

monk for the rest of his life.

As Pra Nanasampanno, he studied the incarnations of the Buddha and his Arahant Disciples. He has said he

was so impressed that he decided to seek the same enlightenment as had the Buddha's original disciples. He

tried to understand the ways of practicing the Dhamma (Dharma) which would eventually lead

toNibbana (Nirvana).

He studied Pali, the language of Theravada Buddhism, as well as the Vinaya (the monastic rules of correct

conduct). After seven years, he passed the third level of Pali studies, and achieved the highest level in

Dhamma and Vinaya studies. He then concentrated entirely on the practice of Dhamma in hopes of studying

with Venerable Ajahn Mun, one of the most renowned meditation masters of his time.[4]

Venerable Ajahn Mun[edit]

From left: Ven. Ajahn Chob, Ven. Luangpu Khao Analayo, Ven. Luangpu Louis Chandasaro and Ven.Luang Pu Bunpeng.

The picture was probably taken at old main sala of Wat Pa NongphueNa Nai in Sakok Nakhon.

Nanasampanno then went in search of Venerable Ajahn Mun. When he finally met him, he was pleased with

his efforts, since it seemed as if Mun already knew his desires, intentions, and doubts. Mun clarified the

questions in his mind and showed him the paths leading to Nibbana still exist. Nanasampanno said to himself:

"Now, I have come to the real thing. He has made everything clear and I no longer have doubts. It is now up to

me to be true or otherwise. I'm determined to be true!"

He learned the meditation methods followed by Mun, based on the principles of Buddhism and the code of

Buddhist discipline. He continued to follow these methods in his own teaching of monks and novices. Due to

his deep respect and admiration for Mun, whom he likens to a father and mother to his students, he was

inspired to write a biography of Mun to disseminate his methods of practice and document his character for

coming generations. He has also written many books on the practice of Buddhist meditation and recorded

teachings on Dhamma so Buddhists may have a guide in practicing meditation.[5] One of his fellow student

monks was Ajahn Thate.

Seclusion and establishing a monastery[edit]

In 1950, after the death of Mun, Bua sought a secluded place. He went to Huey Sai village in Mukdahan

province. He was very strict and serious in teaching the monks and novices, both in the

austere dhutanga practices and in meditation. He continued his teaching until these same principles became

established amongst his followers.

Learning that his mother was ill, he returned home to look after her. Villagers and relatives requested that he

settle permanently in the forest south of the village and no longer wander in the manner of a forest monk. As

his mother was very old and that it was appropriate for him to look after her, he accepted the offer. With a

donation of 64 acres (26 ha) of land, he began to build his monastery in November 1955. It was given the

name Wat Pa Baan Taad.[5]

Wat Pa Baan Taad[edit]

Bua said:

"This monastery has always been a place for meditation. Since the beginning it has been a place solely for

developing the mind. I haven't let any other work disturb the place. If there are things which must be done, I've

made it a rule that they take up no more time than is absolutely necessary. The reason for this is that, in the

eyes of the world and the Dhamma, this is a meditation temple. We're meditation monks. The work of the

meditation monk was handed over to him on the day of his ordination by his Preceptor - in all its completeness.

This is his real work, and it was taught in a form suitable for the small amount of time available during the

ordination ceremony - five meditation objects to be memorized in forward and reverse order - and after that it's

up to each individual to expand on them and develop them to whatever degree of breadth or subtlety he is able

to. In the beginning the work of a monk is given simply as: Kesa - hair of the head, Loma - hair of the body,

Nakha - nails, Danta - teeth, Taco - the skin which enwraps the body. This is the true work for those monks

who practice according to the principles of Dhamma as were taught by the Lord Buddha."

The wilderness surrounding the monastery has vanished, as it has now been cleared for cultivation. The forest

inside the monastery is all that remains. Wat Pa Baan Taad preserves this remnant in its original condition, so

that monks, novices, and lay people can use its tranquility for the practice of the Dhamma as taught by the

Lord Buddha.[5]

Rise to fame[edit]

Bua has traveled to London to give lectures. He also founded the Help Thai Nation Project, a charitable effort

dedicated to helping the Thai economy. He has been visited and supported by theKing and Queen of Thailand.

Bua's biographer wrote:

"Ven. Ajahn Maha Bua is well known for the fluency and skill of his Dhamma talks, and their direct and dynamic

approach. They obviously reflect his own attitude and the way he personally practiced Dhamma. This is best

exemplified in the Dhamma talks he gives to those who go to meditate at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd. Such talks

usually take place in the cool of the evening, with lamps lit and the only sound being the insects and cicadas in

the surrounding jungle. He often begins the Dhamma talk with a few moments of stillness — this is the most

preparation he needs — and then quietly begins the Dhamma exposition. As the theme naturally develops, the

pace quickens and those listening increasingly feel its strength and depth."[1]

Some basic teachings on the 'Citta'[edit]

Bua sees the essential enduring truth of the sentient being as constituted of the indestructible reality of

the citta (heart/mind), which is characterized by the attribute of Awareness or Knowingness. This citta, which is

intrinsically bright, clear, and Aware, gets superficially tangled up in samsara but ultimately cannot be

destroyed by any samsaric phenomenon. Although Bua is often at pains to emphasise the need for meditation

upon the non-Self (anatta), he also points out that the citta, while getting caught up in the vortex of conditioned

phenomena, is not subject to destruction as are those things which are impermanent, suffering, and non-Self

(anicca, dukkha, anatta). The citta is ultimately not beholden to these laws of conditioned existence. The citta is

bright, radiant, and deathless, and is its own independent reality:

'Being intrinsically bright and clear, the citta is always ready to make contact with everything of every nature.

Although all conditioned phenomena without exception are governed by the three universal laws of anicca,

dukkha, and anattã, the citta’s true nature is not subject to these laws. The citta is conditioned by anicca,

dukkha, and anattã only because things that are subject to these laws come spinning in to become involved

with the citta and so cause it to spin along with them. However, though it spins in unison with conditioned

phenomena, the citta never disintegrates or falls apart. It spins following the influence of those forces which

have the power to make it spin, but the true power of the citta’s own nature is that it knows and does not die.

This deathlessness is a quality that lies beyond disintegration. Being beyond disintegration, it also lies beyond

the range of anicca, dukkha, and anattã and the universal laws of nature. ….'[6]

The fundamental problem that besets human beings, according to Bua, is that they have taken fake and false

things as their true self and lack the necessary power to be their 'own true self'; they allow the wiles and deceits

of the mental defilements to generate fear and anxiety in their minds. Fear and anxiety are not inherent within

the citta; in fact, the citta is ultimately beyond all such things and indeed is beyond time and space. But it needs

to be cleansed of its inner defilements (the kilesas) before that truth can be realised. Bua states:

‘Our real problem, our one fundamental problem—which is also the citta’s fundamental problem—is that we

lack the power needed to be our own true self. Instead, we have always taken counterfeit things to be the

essence of who we really are, so that the citta’s behavior is never in harmony with its true nature. Rather, it

expresses itself through the kilesas’ cunning deceits, which cause it to feel anxious and frightened of virtually

everything … As a result, the citta is forever full of worries and fears. And although fear and worry are not

intrinsic to the citta, they still manage to produce apprehension there. When the citta has been cleansed so that

it is absolutely pure and free of all involvement, only then will we see a citta devoid of all fear. Then, neither fear

nor courage appear, only the citta’s true nature, existing naturally alone on its own, forever independent of time

and space. Only that appears—nothing else. This is the genuine citta’.[7]

Bua goes on to attempt to describe the inner stages and experience of the cleansed citta. When its purgation of

defilements is complete, it itself does not disappear – only the impermanent, suffering, and the non-Self

disappear. The citta remains, experientially abiding in its own firm foundation, yet ultimately indescribable:

‘Once the Citta has become so well-cleansed that it is always bright and clear, then … even though the citta

has not ‘converged’ in samãdhi, the focal point of its awareness is so exceedingly delicate and refined as to be

indescribable. This subtle awareness manifests as a radiance that extends forth in all directions around us. We

are unconscious of sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tactile sensations, despite the fact that the citta has not

entered samãdhi. Instead, it is actually experiencing its own firm foundation, the very basis of the citta that has

been well-cleansed to the point where a mesmerizing, majestic quality of knowing is its most prominent feature.

‘Seeming to exist independent of the physical body, this kind of extremely refined awareness stands out

exclusively within the citta. Due to the subtle and pronounced nature of the citta at this stage, its knowing

nature completely predominates. No images or visions appear there at all. It is an awareness that stands out

exclusively on its own. This is one aspect of the citta.

‘Another aspect is seen when this well-cleansed citta enters meditative calm, not thinking or imagining

anything. Ceasing all activity, all movement, it simply rests for awhile. All thought and imagination within the

citta come to a complete halt. This is called “the citta entering a state of total calm.” Then, the citta’s essential

knowing nature is all that remains. Except for this very refined awareness—an awareness that seems to

blanket the entire cosmos—absolutely nothing else appears… Distance is not a factor. To be precise, the citta

is beyond the conditions of time and space, which allows it to blanket everything. Far is like near, for concepts

of space do not apply. All that appears is a very refined awareness suffusing everything throughout the entire

universe. The whole world seems to be filled by this subtle quality of knowing, as though nothing else exists,

though things still exist in the world as they always have. The all-encompassing flow of the citta that has been

cleansed of the things that cloud and obscure it, this is the citta’s true power.

'The citta that is absolutely pure is even more difficult to describe. Since it is something that defies definition, I

don’t know how I could characterize it. It cannot be expressed in the same way that conventional things in

general can be, simply because it is not a conventional phenomenon. It is the sole province of those who have

transcended all aspects of conventional reality, and thus realize within themselves that non-conventional

nature. For this reason, words cannot describe it.

'Why do we speak of a “Conventional” Citta and an “absolutely pure” citta? Are they actually two different

cittas? Not at all. It remains the same citta. When it is controlled by conventional realities, such as kilesas and

ãsavas, that is one condition of the citta. But when the faculty of wisdom has scrubbed it clean until this

condition has totally disintegrated, the true citta, the true Dhamma, the one that can stand the test, will not

disintegrate and disappear along with it. Only the conditions of anicca, dukkha, and anattã, which infiltrate the

citta, actually disappear.

'No matter how subtle the kilesas may be, they are still conditioned by anicca, dukkha, and anattã, and

therefore, must be conventional phenomena. Once these things have completely disintegrated, the true citta,

the one that has transcended conventional reality, becomes fully apparent. This is called the citta’s Absolute

Freedom, or the citta’s Absolute Purity. All connections continuing from the citta’s previous condition have been

severed forever. Now utterly pure, the citta’s essential knowing nature remains alone on its own….

'Since this refined awareness does not have a point or a center, it is impossible to specifically locate its

position. There is only that essential knowing, with absolutely nothing infiltrating it. Although it still exists amid

the same khandhas with which it used to intermix, it no longer shares any common characteristics with them. It

is a world apart. Only then do we know clearly that the body, the khandhas, and the citta are all distinct and

separate realities…'[8]

Some of the notions found here are reminiscent of the Tathagatagarbha tradition - although the latter posits an

original, primordial purity to the mind, whereas Bua sees that purity as needing to be established through

mental and moral cultivation.[9]

Kammatthana[edit]

Kammatthana literally means "basis of work" or "place of work". It describes the contemplation of certain

meditation themes used by a meditating monk so the forces of defilement (kilesa), craving (tanha), and

ignorance (avijja) may be uprooted from the mind. Although kammatthana can be found in many meditation-

related subjects, the term is most often used to identify the forest tradition (the Kammatthana tradition) lineage

founded by Ajahn Sao Kantasilo Mahathera and his student Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera.[1]

Criticism of Thaksin Shinawatra[edit]

On 27 September 2005, Manager Daily published a sermon by Luang Ta Maha Bua.[10][11] The sermon was

extremely critical of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Especially controversial were the following quotes:

"They complained to me about PM Thaksin and Mr. Visanu and two other people that I don’t remember. This is

the big ogre, big power. Atrocious power will swallow our country, bite liver and lungs and aim for the

presidency....He will put a torch to the country. He will never listen....This savagery and atrocity appear in every

aspect of him.... All he has are things to be used for burning."

"He is clearly aiming for the presidency now. The monarch trampled, the religion trampled, the country

trampled, by this savage and atrocious power in a few people in the government circle. That is the circle of

ogres, of ghosts, of trolls, of demons, all in there....So even Devadatta saw the harm he caused, and he was

rewarded for his good deed. He would attain Buddhahood. For those who have made mistakes, if we see the

harm we cause, we can still get by. But what is it with Thailand? What kind of governance?"

"They even dare to accuse Luangta Maha Bua of playing politics. Politics, what dog shit. There’s only shit all

over the country. I brought the Buddha’s dharma to cleanse in order for them to repent and recognize good and

evil. Because they’re the government. The world flatters them as smart people, but don’t be smart down in a

toilet. Don’t be smart about putting a torch to the head of everyone in the country, from Nation, Religion, and

Monarchy on down. These guys will get burned unless they recognize the truth. I’m saddened by all this. How

does this come about?"

On 11 October 2005, Thaksin sued Manager newspaper for THB 500 million.[12] As monks have traditionally

been above criticism, Thaksin did not sue Luang Ta Maha Bua. "This is an exercise of an individual's right to

protect his reputation and privacy. The newspaper did not criticise the prime minister fairly as a public official,

but rather it took him to task personally, using harsh words, which was damaging to him," Thana Benjathikul,

Thaksin's lawyer said.

Thaksin's legal team noted that other newspapers only published selected passages of the sermon, and

furthermore, that a slanderous headline was used. Respected civil rights lawyer Thongbai Thongpao has noted

that Thaksin's lawsuit did have merit. He added that the lawsuits "do not constitute an attack on freedom of the

press".[13]

The case, along with several other libel cases, was withdrawn after King Bhumibol Adulyadej indirectly advised

against such legal action during his annual birthday speech.

As recently as 14 March 2006, Luang Ta Maha Bua asked Thaksin to resign. In a sermon that the monk called

"most vehement since the temple was set up," the monk said it was time for Thaksin to abandon the "rotten

system he is presiding over". He described the government as "wicked, corrupt, power-hungry, and greedy".[14]

> Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Maha_Bua

photos

>

quotes

1. At present, all that is left of Buddhism are the words of the Buddha. Only his teachings—the scriptures—remain. Please be aware of this. Due to the corruption caused by the defiling nature of the kilesas, true spiritual principles are no longer practiced in present-day Buddhism.

2. Instead of following the tendency of the kilesas to focus externally on the affairs of the world outside, meditators must focus internally and become aware of the mind’s inner world. This is essential.

3. Largely because they are not sufficiently resolute in applying basic principles of meditation, many meditators fail to gain satisfactory results.

4. Only the mindful repetition of buddho could prevent fluctuations in my meditation. It was paramount that I center the mind on awareness of the immediate present. Discur-sive thinking could not be allowed to disrupt concentration.

5. To practice meditation earnestly to attain an end to all suffering, you must be totally committed to the work at each successive stage of the path. Nothing less than total commitment will succeed. To experience the deepest levels of samãdhi and achieve the most profound levels of wisdom, you cannot afford to be halfhearted and listless, forever wavering because you lack firm principles to guide your practice. Meditators without a firm commitment to the principles of practice can meditate their entire lives without gaining the proper results.

6. Sïla is that which seta a limit on the “outgoing exuberance” in a person’s actions of body and speech, and the responsibility for these actions and their results rests with the heart.

7. Good people do not like to associate with someone whose “outgoing exuberance” is not restrained by sïla, and nobody trusts him. In business and other affairs, even if there are only one or two people who have bad sïla, and no sense of shame in their behaviour, it is certain that the social group in which they live and work cannot remain secure for long. It is bound to be destroyed or set in disorder by them in whatever way they can, as soon as they have a

chance when others are off their guard. It is like living with a fierce poisonous snake which is just waiting to bite whenever one is unprotected.

8. If the heart always has Dhamma within it, the ways of the body and speech are bound to beclean and free from blame in all their activities.

9. The reasons why morality arises in the heart and in behaviour of a person are:

Firstly – that it arises from a person’s “inherent nature”, as already mentioned above.

Secondly – that it comes from association with wise people, such as recluses and teachers – and that after learning from them one puts their teaching on moral behaviour into practice.

These two things are sufficient to arouse the practise of moral behaviour in oneself, and toenable one to become a person in whom it is constantly present.

10. The baneful effect of the “outgoing exuberance” of a heart which does not have Dhamma as its guardian, is that it never finds true happiness, and even if happiness does arise due to the “outgoing exuberance” of the heart searching for it and finding it, it will be happiness of the type in which one is (like an actor) playing a part, which increases the “outgoing exuberance”, making the heart go increasingly in the wrong direction, and not the type of happiness which is truly satisfying.

11. When body contemplation reaches the stage where reason and result become fully integrated with wisdom, one becomes completely absorbed in these investigations both day and night. It’s truly extraordinary.

12. In the end, when wisdom has achieved maximum proficiency at penetrating to the core of the body’s repulsive nature, you must place the entire disgusting mess of flesh and blood and bones in front of you and ask yourself: From where does this feeling of revulsion emanate? What is the real source of this repulsiveness? Concentrate on the disgusting sight before you and see what happens.

13. At this crucial stage in asubha contemplation, you must not allow wisdom to break the body apart and destroy it. Fix the repulsive image clearly in your mind and watch closely to detect any movement in the repulsive feeling. You have evoked a feeling of revulsion for it: Where does that feeling originate? From where does it come? Who or what assumes that flesh, blood and bones are disgusting? They are as they are, existing in their own natural state. Who is it that conjures up feelings of revulsion at their sight? Fix your attention on it. Where will the repulsiveness go? Wherever it moves, be prepared to follow its direction.

14. The mind itself produces feelings of revulsion, the mind itself produces feelings of attraction; the mind alone creates ugliness and the mind alone creates beauty. These qualities do not really exist in the external physical world. The mind merely projects

these attributes onto the objects it perceives and then deceives itself into believing that they are beautiful or ugly, attractive or repulsive. In truth, the mind paints elaborate pictures all the time—pictures of oneself and pictures of the external world. It then falls for its own mental imagery, believing it to be real.

15. Only mindful awareness, firmly anchored in the present moment, leads directly to the truth. Never presuppose the truth. Don’t speculate or theorize about meditation practice. And don’t mistakenly appropriate the knowledge you gain from reading this exposition, assuming that in doing so you understand the true nature of body and mind. Only clear and direct insight guided by mindfulness, investigated with wisdom, and pursued with diligence will penetrate that truth.

16. When the citta enters into a deep state of calm and concentration, the conscious awareness that is normally diffused throughout the body simultaneously converges from all areas of the body into one central point of focus at the middle of the chest. The knowing quality manifests itself prominently at that point. It does not emanate from the brain. Although the faculties of memorization and learning arise in association with the brain, direct knowledge of the truth does not. Step by step, beginning with the initial stages of samãdhi practice, progress in meditation is experienced and understood in the heart—and only in the heart. This is where the truth lies, and the meditator who practices correctly knows this each step of the way.

17. When it comes to understanding the true nature of all phenomena, the brain is not a factor—it is not useful at all. The citta’s serene and radiant qualities are experienced at the heart.

18. But since the results of peace and tranquility, experienced in samãdhi, pale in comparison to the truly amazing results gained from the practice of wisdom, the meditator is often very reluctant to opt for samãdhi. The mind is in a vibrant, heightened state of awareness; and from that perspective samãdhi seems to be a wasteful, stagnant mental state. In truth, however, samãdhi constitutes an essential and indispensable complement to the practice of wisdom.

From amata dhamma ebook

19. The Dhamma of the Lord Buddha was expounded correctly and properly. It was not hidden or obscure but was presented according to the truths existing on every level of Dhamma. It proclaims, for example, that virtue and vice, hell, heaven and Nibbãna really do exist, that kilesas are true, that they are real and that they prevail just like the other more apparent things. There are no contradictions, so why are these things a problem for us?

20. The Dhamma was openly presented. There was nothing esoteric and mystical about it. It was expounded entirely in accordance with truth – the facts that actually exist. It was presented on every level of truth, and yet we cannot understand it. It is as if the Lord is saying, “Look here! Look at this!” to the blind and deaf.

21. Wherever we go we always bump into dukkha, although the Lord already told us what dukkha was like. Though we might understand it, we still keep running into it. He told us that dukkha is harmful but we are constantly caught by it because our motives – and the way we follow them – are entirely for the amassing of dukkha which only burns us.

22. Ehi means teaching the person himself – who listens to Dhamma and then practices it – to turn his heart round and look right here where the truth is. In worldly terms the truth is constantly proclaiming itself, constantly inviting and challenging. Because of its veracity, it challenges us to look here. Ehi means ‘look here’. It doesn't mean we should call others to come and look. How could they see when they don't look and have never known the truth? The truth is in them, but if they do not look at it or know it, how can they come and see the truth within us? Ehipassiko – the Lord taught us to look at the truth, the truth about ourselves which is right here.

23. Mano pubbaÿgamã dhammã (all dhammas originate from the heart). Just this much is enough to shake the entire physical world. Even the slightest motion must originate in the heart. All dhammas have the heart as their basis. Nothing but the heart can discern all the various phenomena. Nothing else is capable of this.

24. What are the various kinds of dhamma? Where are the kusala (wholesome) dhamma and the akusala (unwholesome) dhamma, if not in the heart? The kusala dhamma arises due to the ingenuity of the heart. It nurtures the heart with wisdom and enables it to cope wisely with all the various events that arise out of our ignorance though we may be totally unaware. Akusala dhamma also arises in the heart. We must use the kusala dhamma which is the way of paññã, investigating and correcting our ignorance – which we call akusala dhamma so that we can totally eliminate it from the heart.

25. Ehipassiko is to look right here at the origin of all causation, the heart, which is in a perpetual state of activity. This activity is much more incessant than any machinery which only operates according to its time schedule. The heart is never shut down but goes on until the last day of life and because it never ceases, we grumble and complain that it is dukkha.

26. When we have corrected the cause, dukkha will gradually, cease in proportion to our ability, our wise judgment and our circumspect wisdom.

27. Of paramount importance is to teach the principal cause, because that is where the kilesas originate.

28. Where do we seriously investigate the principle of reason (cause and effect) so as to gradually see the truth and steadily uproot the kilesas? We must do it here. This is where we bind ourselves and accumulate the kilesas because of our ignorance and stupidity.

29. We can increase our present mindfulness by careful cultivation. Protect it well. We must not allow this citta to go out and become involved with the external affairs and to then bring them back to burn ourselves with. This is the protection.

30. Eradication comes by probing and reasoning into the basis of truth. Whatever is detrimental we must try and correct with reason and analysis into its fundamental nature, so that we can put it right at the point where it arises and gradually ceases.

31. Whichever way we investigate will always be for the overcoming of our delusion. It can also be rather absorbing.

32. Alright! Let’s look at the whole lot: the flesh, sinews and bones. Look! Both animal flesh and human flesh are alike. Look into it! What’s the nature of bone? What’s the difference between animal and human bone? Look right at the complete truth within yourself! Keep on looking! Just look at this body, which is the object that’s inherently inviting and challenging. Why can’t your heart comprehend it? Why isn't it bold and courageous? Once we have seen the truth, this is enough to begin challenging the deception. The truth, realized with paññã, is extremely powerful and capable of gradually wiping out those false views until they are entirely eliminated.

33. The truth that appears within the heart can arise by means of satipaññã. This truth is valid in two respects. In one respect, all the truth of rýpa, vedanã, saññã, sankhãra and viññãõa is real – their very existence is a challenge itself. When paññã has fathomed and realized the truth of these conditions, it will then become the truth – the truth within the heart. Such is the way of uprooting the kilesas. Once these two truths merge, they are no longer harmful but are capable of totally eradicating all the poison and peril out of the heart.

34. While we were on the kammaååhãna sight-seeing tour of the body, we have examined and contemplated its various organs, both large and small. Now we must continue with this kammaååhãna trip to see how this body ends in transformation and dissolution. We must fix our attention at this place to see in what way it will decay and rot away until it's completely disintegrated and dispersed.

35. At first we think we are investigating inside the body: “This particular object is supposed to be inside the body, so why is it now outside?” We must not think like that. If we don’t let go of the awareness that is being focused on the target of our investigation – even if it may be high or low, inside or outside – we will come to experience something unusual and marvelous from that object. For instance, if we concentrate on ‘flesh’, be it of any

part of the body, we must do it so as to see it clearly within ourselves. Then it will gradually transform and break apart.

36. With sati firmly established – which is when we have undivided attention firmly fixed in front of us – the citta will know that it is doing the work and that paññã is doing the analysis. In a short while that object begins to transform, meaning it begins to decay and decompose. Alright! Let's get to see it very clearly, without fear of death. Why should we be afraid – we are looking at the truth and not our own demise. Alright! Disintegrate! This is how I investigated. Each of the different parts simply broke- up. It was really absorbing doing that investigation – this investigation of my own body. Yet, while being absorbed in the investigation, it seemed that the body had completely vanished. Awareness of the body was not apparent even though I was investigating the body. Alright! The body decomposes. The head falls off and an arm breaks off right in front of our eyes. The other arm falls off exposing a piece of bone. Then everything inside ruptures and bursts out. Alright! Keep on looking! Keep absorbed with this perception! It keeps on breaking up! Some of the liquids seep into the ground and some evaporate into the air. That’s the way it goes, some of the fluids percolate into the ground and some escape into the atmosphere. Once all the liquids have either permeated into the ground or vanished into the air, the body parts dry out. They gradually dehydrate until they finally turn into earth. Then both the earth and the bones of the body merge, coalescing together to become one and the same substance. We see it clearly. The more solid parts, like the bones for instance, can then be steadily focused on; sometimes burning them with fire, at other times letting them slowly decompose and crumble to dust, until you can vividly see that they have completely merged with the earth, becoming one with it.

37. But while doing the investigation, don't speculate or fantasize. You should take only the truth within you as your possession, and a your living testimony. Don’t take speculation and fantasy as your evidence and mode of practice, for they are others’ possessions and do not belong to you. Your own possessions are what you have realized by yourself, and whatever they are, let them happen within yourself. In other words, let your genuine possession be what you have realized and practiced for yourself. Such is the way you should practice.

From things as they are

38. If you want to know, then set your heart on the practice. And don’t forget what I’m saying here. Someday it’s sure to become clear to your heart as a result of your earnest practice. There’s no escaping it. Listen carefully to the Buddha’s words: “The flavor of the Dhamma surpasses all other flavors.”

39. What sort of flavor is the flavor of the Dhamma that it has to surpass all other flavors? Those other flavors are the flavors of the food of pris- oners, imprisoned in the wheel of death and rebirth through the power of the kilesas. They aren’t food or flavors that can keep the heart satisfied. They

aren’t true flavors. They aren’t the flavors of the truth. They’re the flavors of the counterfeits that the kilesas whip up into being for us to touch or to eat. They aren’t the flavors of the true Dhamma.

40. The flavor of the Dhamma will begin to appear when the citta is centered in samãdhi. As soon as the citta begins to be still, pleasure will begin to appear as its flavor, depending on the amount of stillness in line with the levels of its tranquillity.

41. As soon as the mind has stillness for its food, it lets go of its concerns for the various flavors of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations step by step, because the flavor of this still- ness begins to excel them.

42. The nature of the citta is such that once it investigates any- thing to the point of seeing it clearly, it lets go. When it hasn’t let go, when it grasps with attachment, these are the chains and fetters with which the kilesa keeps it bound.

43. The kilesas confer titles, telling us, “This is good. That’s pretty. This is beautiful.” They never tell us that the body is filthy, ugly, impermanent (annica), dukkha, and not-self (anattã) – not belonging to us or to anyone else. These are things the kilesas never tell us, never mention, never suggest in line with the principles of the truth.

44. We will be able to truly see things as they are – without a doubt – once we can remove the counterfeit things that conceal them. For example, beauty: Where, exactly, is the body beau- tiful? What is there about it that you can claim to be beautiful? If you speak in terms of the principles of the truth, how can you even look at the human body? It’s entirely filled with filthiness, both within and without, which is why we have to keep wash- ing it all the time.

45. As meditators we should investigate so as to see this truth. Don’t run away from it. This is the genuine truth. The things that fool us into seeing the body as beautiful are counterfeit and false.

46. The fact that the Dhamma isn’t appearing in our heart is be- cause at the moment falseness is more powerful, more estab- lished, and conceals things completely.

47. If the Dhamma is false, if the Buddha didn’t teach it rightly, then find something to prove it wrong. All of the things that the Dhamma criticizes: When you penetrate into them with discernment, you’ll find that that’s just how they are. There’s no point with which you can argue.

48. The heart can drink of the Dhamma: Mental peace and calm. The heart doesn’t jump or run, isn’t vain or proud, restless or dis- tracted, flying out after various preoccupations, because it has found a satisfying food to sustain it.

49. When we use paññã to investigate – to prepare our food, so to speak – to make it even more exquisite than the food of tran- quillity, turning it into the food of paññã, this has a flavor even more exquisite and refined, without limit, which comes from investigating and analyzing the body, the theme of our medita- tion.

50. When we have investigated so as to see in line with this truth, step by step, without retreating in our investigation or letting it lapse until we have clearly understood, then the point of ‘enough’ in our investigation, together with the point where we let go of our at- tachments, will appear of its own accord through the power of paññã that has removed all things concealing, has dismantled all things counterfeit so as to see the truth clearly in the heart.

51. Wherever knowl- edge penetrates, delusion will immediately retreat, so how can attachment remain? It will have to retreat without a doubt.

52. Aside from the fact that the body itself is a cemetery, the corpses of all sorts of animals fill our belly. What sorts of things have been stuffed in there? For how long? Why don’t we look at this cemetery? Look so as to see it clearly. Unattractiveness, anicca, dukkha, and anattã are all heaped right here. We don’t have to go looking for them anywhere else.

53. When we look in terms of impermanence – anicca – we can see it clearly. The body keeps changing all the time, from the day it’s born to the day it dies. Even feelings keep changing in their way: Pleasure, pain, and indifference, both in body and mind. They keep spinning around in this way. When do they ever stop? If we have any sati-paññã, why don’t we see these things as they do their work in line with their natural principles?

54. Dukkha. Which part of the body gives us any pleasure or ease? There’s nothing but dukkha and pain filling the body. We’ve constantly had to tend and care for the body so that it has been able to survive this far, so are we still going to be attracted to this mass of fire?

55. Whenever you say that it’s you or yours, your attachment is like grabbing fire, so extricate yourself, using wisdom. See these things as being truly anicca, dukkha, and anattã. The citta then won’t dare to reach for them or touch them. Step by step it will let go of its burdens – its attachments, which are a heavy weight.

56. Keep watch of the truth – which is within you, proclaiming itself at all times – by using mindfulness, discernment, conviction, and persistence.

57. To contend with pain, you have to use paññã. Sim- ply fighting it, simply enduring it, doesn’t count as the path.

58. No matter how much pain arises in the body, it’s its own separate reality. Only the citta is what recognizes and in- terprets it. Once the citta has used discernment to investigate the pain to the point of being abreast of it, it will extricate itself from the pain to be its own separate reality on this level, so that each is a separate reality. When each is a separate reality, what harm can they do to each other?

59. When the citta has had enough of anything, it lets go and no longer investigates that thing. It then continues with other things, in the same way that when we’ve eaten enough of this sort of food, we go on to other sorts until we’re completely full. Then we put it all aside. Our investigation is so that we will have enough and then let go.

60. Matters that passed months and years ago, we warm up and serve to torment the mind, to oppress and co- erce it, because of our delusion, because of the fact that we aren’t up on the tricks and deceits of this sort of kilesa. This is why we have to investigate them.

61. Whatever issues the mind forms, if they’re good, they vanish; if they’re bad, they vanish – so what sense or substance can we gain from them? Wherever they arise, probe on down right there.

62. So now, is the citta us? Is it ours? Slash on down! Whatever is going to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. We feel no regrets. We want only the truth. Even if the citta is going to be smashed and destroyed along with everything else, let’s at least know with our practice. Strike on down!

Ultimately, everything counterfeit gets smashed, while the nature of pure truth, of supreme truth – the pure citta – doesn’t die and isn’t destroyed. See?

63. All that is needed is for the kilesas to be shed entirely from the heart and there is noth- ing else to pose the heart any problems. This is thus called the timeless heart, the timeless Dhamma, freed from time. It’s a pure nature, always fully ‘buddho’ like that.

64. You’ve come here for the purpose of learning and finding things of substance and value for your- selves. Investigate so as to see clearly in line with the principles of anicca, dukkha, and anattã as I have mentioned, because they underlie the way everything is throughout the three levels of the cosmos.

65. There’s nothing splendid enough for us to feel regret at leaving it. The only thing splendid is release. It’s a nature truly splendid. We don’t have to confer titles on it, because it’s its own nature. It has had enough of everything of every sort. This is what is meant when we say that the flavor of the Dhamma ex- cels all other flavors.

66. Don’t get discouraged! Give your life to the Buddha. Even though we may have never said that we’ve given our life to kilesas, that’s what we’ve done for an infinitely long time, to the point where we can’t count the times.

67. Nothing else in the cosmos has caused us to experience becoming and birth, and to carry the mass of all sufferings, other than this avijjã- paccayã saçkhãra.

68. Once we’ve seen and known the truth with our full hearts, how can anyone intimi- date us?

69. A teacher who pos- sesses the Dhamma, who possesses virtue, has to be resolute so as to eliminate evil. He has to be resolute. He can’t not be reso- lute. The stronger the evil, then the more resolute, the stronger his goodness has to be.

70. Being resolute is thus different from being severe, because it means being earnest toward everything of every sort in keeping with reason. Take this and think it over. If you act weakly in train- ing yourself, you’re not on the path.

71. If we’re going to follow the way of the Dhamma, we say it’s too extreme, but if we’re going to follow the way of kilesa, then we’re ready for anything, without a thought for middleness at all. So whose middleness is this? It’s just the middleness of the kilesas, because the kilesas have their middleness just like we do.

72. When people do good, want to go to heaven, want to attain nibbãna, they’re afraid that it’s craving. But when they want to go to hell in this very life, you know, they don’t worry about whether it’s craving or not. They don’t even think about it. When they go into a bar: Is this craving? They don’t stop to think about it. When they drink liquor or fool around with the ways to dep- rivation (apãya-mukha): Is this the middle way or not? Is this craving? Is this kilesa or not? They don’t bother to think. But when they think of turning to the area of the Dhamma, then it becomes too extreme. Everything becomes too extreme.

73. If you simply study and memorize.... Here I’m not belittling study. Study all you can. Memorize all you can. I’m not criticizing memorization. But if you simply memorize the names of the kilesas – even if you memo- rize their ancestry – it doesn’t mean a thing if you aren’t intent on the practice.

74. If we think that all wanting is craving, then if we don’t let there be craving, it’s as if we were dead. No wanting, no anything: Is that what it means not to have kilesa or craving (taõhã)? Is that kind of person anything special? It’s nothing special at all, because it’s a dead person. They’re all over the place. A person who isn’t dead has to want this and that – just be careful that you don’t go wanting in the wrong direction, that’s all. If you want in the wrong direction, it’s craving and kilesa. If you want in the right direction, it’s the path, so make sure you understand this!

75. No matter how many kilesas there are, make them collapse. We can’t retreat. We’re simply determined to make the kilesas collapse. If they don’t collapse, then we’re prepared to collapse if we’re no match for them. But the word ‘lose’ doesn’t exist in the heart. If they kick us out of the ring, we climb right back in to fight again. If they kick us out again, we climb back in again and keep on fighting. After this happens many times, we can start kicking the kilesas out of the ring too, you know. After we’re been kicked and hit many times, each time is a lesson.

76. Wherever we lose to the kilesa, whatever tactics the kilesas use to beat us, we use their tactics to counteract them. Eventu- ally we’ll be able to stand them off. As the kilesas gradually become weaker, the matters of the Dhamma – samãdhi, sati, paññã, persistence – become stronger and stronger. This is where the kilesas have to grovel, because they’re no match. They’re no match for the Dhamma.

77. A fighter takes whatever means he can get. It’s the same with us in fighting the kilesa. Whatever approach we should use to win, the Buddha provides all the weapons of the Dhamma for us to think up with our own sati- paññã.

78. When the kilesas come swashbuckling in, the middle way goes swashbuckling out. If they bring in a big army, the middle way has to fight them off with a big army. If they’re hard-hitting, we’re hard-hitting. If they’re dare-devils, we’re dare-devils. This is what’s meant by the middle way: the appropriate way, appro- priate for defeating the armies of the enemy. If their army is large while ours is small and our efforts few, it just won’t work.

79. Desire to see the truth. It’s there in the heart of every person. The Buddha didn’t lay any exclu- sive claims to it. All that’s needed is that you practice. Don’t doubt the magga, phala, and nibbãna.

80. The Dhamma is a pair with kilesa, but kilesa simply lulls us to sleep so that we won’t use the Dhamma to defeat it. It’s afraid of losing its power – because kilesa is in- timidated by the Dhamma, which is why it deceives us into not heading towards the Dhamma.

81. Very well, then. I’m tired of preaching to meditators who ‘kilesaÿ saraõaÿ gacchãmi.’

82. Once the citta knows the truth, together with how it has con- templated, it can describe it all, including the results that appear. It can describe them in full detail.

83. For monks, there is no work in search- ing for their livelihood more appropriate than going for alms. No matter who might have the faith to bring gifts of food, no matter how much, we should view it as extraneous gains, a luxury, and not as more necessary than the food gained by going for alms.

84. Even when there’s a lot of food – more than enough – greed, you know, has no land of enough. That’s good. This is good. The more food there is, the wider our mouth, the longer our tongue, the bigger our stomach.

85. The Dhamma has us take just enough, or just a little, in keeping with the Dhamma; to eat just enough for the body, or just a little, without being greedy for food or other items of consumption. We eat just enough to keep going. We aren’t stuffed and lethargic, aiming more at our beds than at the per- sistent effort to abandon kilesa.

86. We monks, when we eat a lot and have a lot of extraneous gains, get fat and strong, but the mind forgets itself and doesn’t feel like meditating. This is good for nothing at all. We simply have food fattening the body, without any Dhamma to fatten the citta. The citta that used to have Dhamma to some extent gets thinner and more emaciated day by day. If it’s never had any Dhamma – such as the Dhamma of samãdhi – the situation is even worse. It has no goals at all. The ascetic practices thus have to put a brake on our greed for food so that the citta can have a chance to follow the Dhamma.

87. We shouldn’t get in- volved in anything but the contact between the heart and the Dhamma at all times. That’s what’s appropriate for us.

88. A monk who observes the ascetic practices well, who is solid in his observance of them, is one who is solid in his practice, truly intent on the Dhamma, truly intent on subduing the kilesa. He’s not a person ordained to do nothing or who forgets himself. All thirteen ascetic practices are tools for subduing the kilesas of those who follow them.

89. . If we’re solid in the ascetic practices, we’ll gradually become excellent people in line with the principles of our practice and ultimately in line with the principles of nature – excellent not just in name, but through the nature of a citta made spotless and pure.

90. The main principle in the practice is to have the solidity – the heart – of a warrior, ready to die in the battle of washing the world out of the heart.

91. . Don’t retreat in defeat, or you’ll lose face, and the kilesas will taunt you for a long time to come. You won’t be able to stand your feelings of inad- equacy and embarrassment in the face of the cycle of the kilesa.

92. Whichever world you go to, there will be nothing but kilesas trail- ing you and taunting you: “What are you looking for, being born and bearing this mass of suffering, you good-for-nothing per- son, you? Whenever we fight, you lose miserably every time. You’ve never had the word ‘victory’ at all.”

93. The Dhamma that can’t be described: That’s the genuine Dhamma. It doesn’t have the word ‘vanishes’ or ‘disappears’ – simply that the world can’t reach in to know it and touch it. As for annihilating this Dhamma, it can’t be annihilated.

94. The Dhamma of the Buddha is always shining new. Don’t forget that it’s always shining new. Majjhima paåipadã – the ‘Mid- dle Way’ – is a shining-new Dhamma, not tarnished, shabby, or worn out like objects we’ve used for a long time. Majjhima means right in the middle – the Dhamma that has been appropriate for curing kilesas of every sort all along.

95. By and large, the citta tends to take lowly things as its model, which is why we have to say, “Don’t take anyone as your model other than the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.”

96. If we get weak or discouraged, we should reflect on the cem- eteries of birth and death that will burn us forever: Is there any- thing good about them? The struggle involved in the effort of the practice, even though it involves hardship, is a means of cutting back on our becoming and birth.

More than that, it completely eliminates becoming and birth, which are a massive heap of dukkha, from the heart, so that we can freely pass by and gain release.

97. Every sort of duty that is ours to do should be done in- tently. When doing a task of any sort, even a small one, if we lack intentness, it won’t get finished in a presentable way at all, because intentness – which is a matter of mindfulness and prin- ciples in the heart that can bring a task to completion – is lacking in ourselves and in our work.

98. If a person lacks intentness as a means of keeping his work in focus, then even if he is a crafts- man capable of making things solid and beautiful, his lack of intentness will reduce the quality and beauty of his work. For this reason, intentness and samãdhi are important factors that shouldn’t be overlooked by those who aim at full results in their work.

99. We have gone forth from the household life. We’re medita- tors. We should display intentness in our every duty and be de- liberate in our every task. Even when we sweep the monastery compound, clean our quarters and the meeting hall, set out sit- ting mats and drinking water, in all our movements, comings and going, even when looking right and glancing left, we should be mindful at every moment. This is what it means to be making the effort of the practice.

100. In developing the habit of mindfulness, we have to use our work as our training ground. Every external task of every sort is a duty. Walking meditation and sitting medita- tion are duties. If we’re mindful in doing our duties, it means that our effort in the practice hasn’t lapsed. To train ourselves in the habits of those who are intent on the higher levels of Dhamma, we must begin – with urgency – by training ourselves to be mind- ful in every task of every sort from the very beginning.

101. For the sake of the certainty and stability of your future, develop mind- fulness as a habit from this moment onward until you have it constantly present within you, every moment you act and every moment you rest.

102. The mind that’s always carried away, without any mindful- ness to look after it, is thus always getting disturbed to the point where it can never find any stillness and peace. The guardians of the citta are mindfulness and discernment (sati-paññã), which continually watch over it all the time it is thinking about various issues, and which continually try to reason with the mind to free it from the issues that come to involve it.

103. When the citta is con- stantly hearing the logic of its paññã, it will be unable to diso- bey its paññã by thinking about and becoming attached to any issues any longer.

104. Don’t let yourself be careless in any useful activity of any sort, no matter how small. Otherwise the carelessness that’s al- ready the lord of the heart will become a chronic disease taking deep root in the heart, ruining every aspect of your practice.

105. Try to train yourself in the habit of being dependable and intent in your proper activities, within and without, at all times. Don’t let carelessness or negligence incubate in your character at all, be- cause people who have trained themselves in the habit of being true to their every duty are sure to be able to succeed in every sort of activity, whether inner or outer, without any obstacle to thwart them.

106. Even when they train their hearts within, which is the important job, they are sure to succeed with circumspection in such a way that they will find nothing with which they can fault themselves –

because outer activities and inner activities both point to the same heart in charge of them. If the heart is habitu- ally careless, then when it takes charge of any inner task, it’s bound to ruin the task, without leaving even a scrap for itself to take as its refuge.

107. Perform each task to the utmost of your ability. Then when you turn inward to per- form your inner work for the sake of stillness or for the sake of paññã and discovery, you will be able to perform both sorts of work with precision and circumspection because of the habits you have developed in training yourself to be true and circum- spect all along.

108. Train yourself in the habit of being solid and true in your work and duties at all times. Don’t be unsteady, uncertain, or undependable.

109. Once we’ve determined that a par- ticular task is worthwhile and right, we should give our life to that task and to our determination. This way we’ll become depend- able and self-reliant. The virtues we are maintaining will become dependable virtues and won’t turn into virtues floating in the wind.

110. Even though it’s still morning (even though you’re still alive), don’t let your- self delay. To be prepared is to strive to have a firm basis, both within and without, for your living and dying. Whether you live here or there, whether death will happen here or there, whether you live in this world or the next, or whether you’re coming to this world or going to the next, you should prepare yourself, beginning now, in the immediate present. Otherwise, when life is up, you won’t be able to prepare anything in time.

111. I’ve seen the Dhamma say only that you should make your- self a refuge both within and without right now while you’re alive. Even though days, nights, months, and years, this world and the next, are always present in the cosmos, they’re not for worthless people who are born and die in vain without doing anything of any benefit to the world or the Dhamma at all.

112. The way feelings behave is to arise, take a stance, and disband. That’s all there is to them every time. And there’s no ‘being,’ ‘person,’ ‘our self,’ or another to them at all.

113. The touch of that body is no different from one part of our own body touching another part. Each of the parts is just earth, water, wind, and fire, just like ours. We can’t see that there’s any difference. So we have to investi- gate clearly like this and then make comparisons, comparing the sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch of the woman or man with our own sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. There’s no differ- ence in terms of the principles of nature and of the truth, aside from the citta making assumptions in line with its thoughts.

114. The body (rýpa). We should analyze it with our paññã so as to see it clearly. The words ‘the body of a woman’ or ‘the body of a man’ are simply names given in line with convention. Ac- tually, it’s not a woman or a man. It’s simply an ordinary body just like ours, covered all over with skin. If we look inside, there’s flesh, tendons, and bones. It, like us, is all full of filthy and re- pulsive things. There’s no part that’s basically any different from our own body. There’s simply recognition in our mind that says ‘woman’ or ‘man.’ This word ‘woman’ or ‘man’ is engraved deeply within the heart by the heart’s own suppositions, even though it’s not a truth, and is simply a supposition.

115. All things depend on one thing or another, and then fall apart. Whatever the object: If it exists in the world, it has to fall apart. If it doesn’t fall apart, we will. If it doesn’t break up, we’ll break up. If it

doesn’t leave, we’ll leave – because this world is full of leaving and separation through the principles of nature.

116. However strong the lust, that’s how strongly you should investi- gate unattractiveness until you can see your own body and that of others throughout the world as a cemetery of fresh corpses. Lust won’t have a chance to flare up when paññã has penetrated to the knowledge that the body is filled with repulsiveness. Who would feel lust for repulsiveness? Who would feel lust for things with no beauty? For things that are disgusting? This is one form of the medicine of unattractiveness, one of the prime medicines for curing the disease of lust and craving.

117. Both attractiveness and unattractiveness are saññã (associa- tions) coupled with the affairs of lust. Once we have investigated and fully understood both sides, the word ‘attractive’ will dissolve and no longer have meaning. The word ‘unattractive’ will dis- solve and no longer have meaning. That which gives the mean- ing of ‘attractive’ and ‘unattractive’ is the citta or, in other words, saññã.

118. When the citta is proficient and realizes the causes and effects of both sides – both attractiveness and unattractiveness – it can at the same time turn around to know its own saññã that goes out to dress this thing up as attractive and that as unattractive.

119. If we’re stupid, then even if we sit right at the hem of the Buddha’s robe or the robe of one of his Noble Disciples, the only result we’ll get will be our own stupidity. To gain ingenuity or virtue from the Buddha or his Noble Disciples is very difficult for a stupid person, because inner wealth depends on ingenuity and intelligence. If we have no ingenuity, we won’t be able to find any inner wealth to provide happiness and ease for the heart.

120. External wealth is something we’re all familiar with. Money, material goods, living things, and things without life: All of these things are counted as wealth. They are said to belong to who- ever has rights over them. The same holds true with the virtue and goodness we call merit. If unintelligent people search for merit and try to develop virtue and goodness like the people around them, the results will depend on their ingenuity and stu- pidity. If they have little ingenuity, they’ll gain little merit.

121. The principles of na- ture are everywhere, so that anyone who is interested – child or adult – can study them at any time, unlike formal studies and book learning, which come into being at some times and change or disappear at others.

122. In the area of habits and capabilities, how much we may possess depends entirely on ourselves. These aren’t things we can borrow from one another. We have to depend on the ca- pabilities we develop from within. This is why our habits, man- ners, and conversation, our knowledge and intelligence, our shallowness and depth differ from person to person in line with our capabilities.

123. If we get used simply to having things handed to us ready-made from other people, without producing anything with our own intelligence, then when the time comes where we’re in a tight spot and can’t depend on anything ready-made from other people, we’re sure to go un- der if we can’t think of a way to help ourselves.

124. When these critical sorts of problems arise, if we can’t han- dle them ourselves, we have to hurry to find a teacher. We can’t just leave them alone, hoping that they’ll go away on their own.

125. The results that can come from these problems that we don’t take to our teachers to solve: At the very least, we can become disoriented, deluded, or unbalanced; at worst, we can go crazy. When they say that a person’s meditation ‘crashes,’ it usually comes from this sort of problem that he or she doesn’t know how to solve – isn’t willing to solve – and simply lets fester until one of these two sorts of results appear.

126. Even in the area of the Dhamma, we should realize that dif- ficulty is the path of sages on every level, beginning with the Buddha himself. The Dhamma affirms this: Dukkhassãnantaraÿ sukhaÿ – people gain ease by following the path of difficulty.

127.