..續本文上一頁, she”s sure to get a raise in her salary, or maybe a special bonus.

　　So it is with the breath. If you know how to adjust and vary the breath -- if you”re always thinking about and evaluating the breath -- you”ll become thoroughly mindful and expert in all matters dealing with the breath and the other elements of the body. You”ll always know how things are going with the body. Rapture, ease, and singleness of preoccupation will come on their own. The body will be refreshed, the mind content. Both body and mind will be at peace. All the elements will be at peace, free from unrest and disturbances.

　　It”s like knowing how to look after a small child. If the child starts crying, you know when to give it milk or candy, when to give it a bath, when to take it out for some air, when to put it in a playpen and give it a doll to play with. In no time at all, the child will stop crying, stop whining, and leave you free to finish whatever work you have to do. The mind is like a small, innocent child. If you”re skilled at looking after it, it”ll be obedient, happy, and contented, and will grow day by day.

　　* * *

　　When the body and mind are full and content, they won”t feel hungry. They won”t have to go opening up the pots and pans on the stove or pace around looking out the windows and doors. They can sleep in peace without any disturbances. Ghosts and demons -- the pains of the khandhas -- won”t come and possess them. This way we can be at our ease, because when we sit, we sit with people. When we lie down, we lie down with people. When we eat, we eat with people. When people live with people, there”s no problem; but when they live with ghosts and demons, they”re sure to squabble and never find any peace. If we don”t know how to evaluate and adjust our breathing, there”s no way our meditation will give any results. Even if we sit till we die, we won”t gain any knowledge or understanding at all.

　　There was once an old monk -- 70 years old, 30 years in the monkhood -- who had heard good things about how I teach meditation and so came to study with me. The first thing he asked was, "What method do you teach

　　"

　　"Breath meditation," I told him. "You know -- bud-dho, bud-dho."

　　As soon as he heard that, he said, "I”ve been practicing that method ever since the time of Ajaan Mun -- buddho, buddho ever since I was young -- and I”ve never seen anything good come of it. All it does is buddho, buddho without ever getting anywhere at all. And now you”re going to teach me to buddho some more. What for

　　 You want me to buddho till I die

　　"

　　This is what happens when people have no sense of how to adjust and evaluate their breathing: They”ll never find what they”re looking for -- which is why adjusting and spreading the breath is a very important part of doing breath meditation.

　　* * *

　　Getting to know yourself -- becoming acquainted with your body, your mind, the elements (earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness), knowing what they come from, how they arise, how they disband, how they”re inconstant, stressful, and not-self: All of this you have to find out by exploring on your own. If your knowledge simply follows what”s in books or what other people tell you, it”s knowledge that comes from labels and concepts, not from your own discernment. It”s not really knowledge. If you know only what other people tell you, you”re following them down a road -- and what could be good about that

　　 They might lead you down the wrong road. And if the road is dusty, they might kick dust into your ears and eyes. So in your search for the truth, don”t simply believe what other people say. Don”t believe labels. Practice centering the mind until you gain knowledge on your own. Only then will it be insight. Only then will it be trustworthy.

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