..續本文上一頁haky, whenever defilements regroup and regain their strength, the Path will be routed as defilements take its place. The two sides will continue to fight it out until eventually there is a victor and the whole affair is settled.
If we focus our endeavor on developing the way of Dhamma, defilements will be gradually and persistently eradicated. Once fully cultivated, the Four Noble Truths reside in our hearts. In whatever form suffering takes, it always exists due to a cause. That”s the Second Noble Truth. And what is the cause
Weak virtue. Weak samadhi. Weak wisdom. When the Path isn”t durable, the defilements dominate the mind. When they dominate, the Second Noble Truth comes into play, and it gives rise to all sorts of suffering. Once we are suffering, those qualities which are able to quell the suffering disappear. The conditions which give rise to the Path are virtue, samadhi, and wisdom. When they have attained full strength, the Path of Dhamma is unstoppable, advancing unceasingly to overcome the attachment and clinging that bring us so much anguish. Suffering can”t arise because the Path is destroying the defilements. It”s at this point that cessation of suffering occurs. Why is the Path able to bring about the cessation of suffering
Because virtue, samadhi, and wisdom are attaining their peak of perfection, and the Path has gathered an unstoppable momentum. It all comes together right here. I would say for anyone who practices like this, theoretical ideas about the mind don”t come into the picture. If the mind is liberated from these, then it is utterly dependable and certain. Now whatever path it takes, we don”t have to goad it much to keep it going straight.
Consider the leaves of a mango tree. What are they like
By examining just a single leaf we know. Even if there are ten thousand of them we know what all those leaves are like. Just look at one leaf. The others are essentially the same. Similarly with the trunk. We only have to see the trunk of one mango tree to know the characteristics of them all. Just look at one tree. All the other mango trees will be essentially no different. Even if there were one hundred thousand of them, if I knew one I”d know them all. This is what the Buddha taught.
Virtue, samadhi, and wisdom constitute the Path of the Buddha. But the way is not the essence of the Dhamma. The Path isn”t an end in itself, not the ultimate aim of the Blessed One. But it”s the way leading inwards. It”s just like how you traveled from Bangkok to my monastery, Wat Nong Pah Pong. It”s not the road you were after. What you wanted was to reach the monastery, but you needed the road for the journey. The road you traveled on is not the monastery. It”s just the way to get here. But if you want to arrive at the monastery, you have to follow the road. It”s the same with virtue, samadhi, and wisdom. We could say they are not the essence of the Dhamma, but they are the road to arrive there. When virtue, samadhi, and wisdom have been mastered, the result is profound peace of mind. That”s the destination. Once we”ve arrived at this peace, even if we hear a noise, the mind remains unruffled. Once we”ve reached this peace, there”s nothing remaining to do. The Buddha taught to give it all up. Whatever happens, there”s nothing to worry about. Then we truly, unquestionably, know for ourselves. We no longer simply believe what other people say.
The essential principle of Buddhism is empty of any phenomena. It”s not contingent upon miraculous displays of psychic powers, paranormal abilities, or anything else mystical or bizarre. The Buddha did not emphasize the importance of these things. Such powers, however, do exist and may be possible to develop, but this facet of Dhamma is deluding, so the Buddha did not advocate or en…
《Unshakeable Peace》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…