..續本文上一頁l over it. That quarreling is the "birth." The "sphere of birth" is the orchard of trees that we cling to as our own. We are "born" right at the point where we consider them to be our own, born from that bhava. Even if we had a thousand apple trees, if someone were to cut down just one it”d be like cutting the owner down.

　　Whatever we cling to we are born right there, we exist right there. We are born as soon as we "know." This is knowing through not-knowing: we know that someone has cut down one of our trees. But we don”t know that those trees are not really ours. This is called "knowing through not-knowing." We are bound to be born into that bhava.

　　Vatta the wheel of conditioned existence, operates like this. People cling to bhava, they depend on bhava. If they cherish bhava, this is birth . And if they fall into suffering over that same thing, this is also a birth. As long as we can”t let go we are stuck in the rut of samsara, spinning around like a wheel. Look into this, contemplate it. Whatever we cling to as being us or ours, that is a place for birth.

　　There must be a bhava, a sphere of birth, before birth can take place. Therefore the Buddha said, whatever you have, don”t "have" it. Let it be there but don”t make it yours. You must understand this "having" and "not having," know the truth of them, don”t flounder in suffering.

　　The place that we were born from; you want to go back there and be born again, don”t you

　　 All of you monks and novices, do you know where you were born from

　　 You want to go back there, don”t you

　　 Right there, look into this. All of you getting ready. The nearer we get to the end of the retreat the more you start preparing to go back and be born there.

　　Really, you”d think that people could appreciate what it would be like, living in a person”s belly. How uncomfortable would that be

　　 Just look, merely staying in your kuti for one day is enough. Shut all the doors and windows and you”re suffocating already. How would it be to lie in a person”s belly for nine or ten months

　　 Think about it.

　　People don”t see the liability of things. Ask them why they are living, or why they are born, and they have no idea. Do you still want to get back in there

　　 Why

　　 It should be obvious but you don”t see it. Why can”t you see it

　　 What are you stuck on, what are you holding onto

　　 Think it out for yourself.

　　It”s because there is a cause for becoming and birth. Just take a look at the preserved baby in the main hall, have you seen it

　　 Isn”t anybody alarmed by it

　　 No, no-one”s alarmed by it. A baby lying in its mother”s belly is just like that preserved baby. And yet you want to make more of those things, and even want to get back and soak in there yourself. Why don”t you see the danger of it and the benefit of the practice

　　You see

　　 That”s bhava. The root is right there, it revolves around that. The Buddha taught to contemplate this point. People think about it but still don”t see. They”re all getting ready to go back there again. they know that it wouldn”t be very comfortable in there, to put their necks in the noose is really uncomfortable, they still want to lay their heads in there. Why don”t they understand this

　　 This is where wisdom comes in, where we must contemplate.

　　When I talk like this people say, "If that”s the case then everybody would have to become monks... and then how would the world be able to function

　　" You”ll never get everybody to become monks, so don”t worry. The world is here because of deluded beings, so this is no trifling matter.

　　I first became a novice at the age of nine. I started practicing from way back then. But in those days I didn”t really know what it was all about. I found out when I became a monk. Once I became a monk I became so wary. The sensual pleasures people indulged…

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