..續本文上一頁fourth day onwards, one starts experiencing different types of sensations from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. Very soon, one starts realizing that these sensations are not merely related to the body, they are strongly related to the mind also.

　　When you generate anger, there are bound to be sensations of heat, palpitation, tension etc. which make you miserable. Similarly, whatever impurity arises in the mind, it arises with a sensation in the body.

　　These are not mere sermons. One starts experiencing the truth, “I am making myself miserable by generating some defilement or the other in the mind.” This becomes so clear at the experiential level.

　　Whether one is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Buddhist, everyone wants to come out of misery. Nobody wants to live a miserable life. The Buddha gave us a way to come out of misery by eradicating the defilements of the mind.

　　People from different communities keep coming to the courses because the teaching is so rational, so scientific and so non-sectarian and result-oriented.

　　When one generates anger, you cannot label it as Hindu anger or Muslim anger or Christian anger. Anger is anger and the misery that you experience because of this negativity cannot be labelled as Hindu misery or Muslim misery or Christian misery. Misery is misery. The way that is given to come out of misery also cannot be given any label; it is universal. Anybody who practices it comes out of misery because one comes out of negativity.

　　The happiness that one experiences, the peace that one experiences, the harmony that one experiences cannot be labeled as Buddhist peace or Buddhist harmony. This peace, this harmony is universal. Anybody who practices the Buddha”s teaching will experience the same peace and harmony.

　　The Buddha”s teaching is so wonderful, so non-sectarian that people from all the religions of the world are attending Vipassana courses. The result that they get makes a big change in their outlook.

　　Hundreds of thousands of people around the world have taken Vipassana. They practice sīla, they practice samādhi, they practice paññā. Let them call themselves by any name, I don”t care. They are the real followers of the Buddha. They are practicing the Noble Eightfold Path.

　　Sri Lanka is the land of Buddha Dhamma. I know all of you are devotees of the Buddha. Many of you must have been practicing Vipassana. Those who have not practiced, I invite you, come, ehi-passiko. Give me ten days of your life and get the good results of what the Buddha taught.

　　Everyone gets benefit, little or more, according to the effort one makes.

　　So on this auspicious day, I would like you to make a decision that you will practice Vipassana. This is the practical teaching of the Buddha. It is good to have devotion towards the Buddha; it is good to understand the Buddha at the intellectual level; but only the understanding at the experiential level will give the real benefit.

　　So practice the Buddha”s teaching of Vipassana and be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

　　Bhavatu sabba maṅgalaṃ — May all beings be happy!

《True Devotion : The Importance of Meditation Practice》全文閱讀結束。