..續本文上一頁we don”t see the harmful consequences of all our wrong views, then we can”t leave them. The practice is difficult, so we should listen to the teacher.

　　Mango

　　We say that morality, concentration and wisdom are the path on which all the Noble Ones have walked to enlightenment. They are all one. Morality is concentration, concentration is morality. Concentration is wisdom, wisdom is concentration. It”s like a mango. When it”s a flower, we call it a flower. When it becomes a fruit, we call it a mango. When it ripens, we call it a ripe mango. It”s a lone mango, but it continually changes. The big mango grows from the small mango, the small mango grows from the small mango, and the small mango becomes a big one. You can call them different fruit or all one. Morality, concentration and wisdom are related like this. In the end it”s the entire path that leads to enlightenment. The mango, from the moment it first appears as a flower, simply grows to ripeness. We should see it like this. Whatever others call it, it doesn”t matter. Once it”s born, it grows to old age and then where

　　 We should contemplate this. Some people don”t want to be old. When they get old, they become regretful. These people shouldn”t eat ripe mangoes. Why do we want the mangoes to be ripe

　　 If they”re not ripe in time, we ripen them artificially, don”t we

　　 But when we become old we”re filled with regret. Some people cry. They”re afraid to get old and die. If it”s like this, they shouldn”t eat ripe mangoes. They”d better eat just the flowers! If we can see this then we can see the Dhamma. Everything clears up and we are at peace. Medicines and Fruit

　　Medicines and Fruit

　　Don”t be angry with those who don”t practice. Don”t speak against them. Just continually advise them. They will come to the Dhamma when their spiritual factors are developed. It”s like selling medicines. We advertise our medicines and those with a headache or stomachache will come and take some. Those who don”t want our medicines let them be. They”re like fruit that are still green. We can”t force them to be ripe and sweet — just let them be. Let them grow up, sweeten and ripen all by themselves. If we think like this, our minds will be at ease. So we don”t need to force anybody. Simply advertise our medicines and leave it at that. When someone is ill, he”ll come around and buy some.

　　Merchants

　　Everything that you do you must do with clarity and awareness. When you see clearly, you”ll no longer feel the need to force yourself to do and complete everything. Now you are burdened with difficulties because you miss the point: whatever you do, you should just do with your body and mind completely. This will bring you peace. If you think you have to do and complete everything, then whenever you leave something undone or incomplete, you”ll feel discontented and never stop worrying about it. You want to complete everything, but it”s really impossible to do so. Take the case of the merchants who regularly come here to see me. They say, "Oh, when my debts are all paid and property in order, I”ll come to get ordained." They talk like that, but will they ever finish and get it all in order

　　 There”s no end to it. They pay off their debts with another loan; they pay off that one, and do it again. A merchant thinks that when he gets rid of all of his debts, he will be happy, but there”s no end to paying things off. That”s the way worldliness fools us. We go around and around like that never realizing our predicament.

　　Oil and Water

　　Oil and water are different in the same way that a wise man and an ignorant man are different. The Buddha lived with form, sound, odor, taste, touch and thought, but he was an arahant so he was able to turn away from them rather than toward them. He turned away and let go little b…

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