..續本文上一頁that whoever lacks discernment, whoever is unskilled, whoever doesn”t practice concentration leading to liberating insight, will have to be burdened with stress, will always be loaded down. It”s pathetic. It”s a shame. They”ll never get away. When they”re loaded down like this, it”s really pathetic. Their legs are burdened, their shoulders burdened -- and where are they going

　　 Three steps forward and two steps back. Soon they”ll get discouraged, and then after a while they”ll pick themselves up and get going again.

　　Now, when we see inconstancy -- that all things fashioned, whether within us or without, are undependable; when we see that they”re stressful; when we see that they”re not our self, that they simply whirl around in and of themselves: When we gain these insights, we can put down our burdens, i.e., let go of our attachments. We can put down the past -- i.e., stop dwelling in it. We can let go of the future -- i.e., stop yearning for it. We can let go of the present -- i.e., stop claiming it as the self. Once these three big baskets have fallen from our shoulders, we can walk with a light step. We can even dance. We”re beautiful. Wherever we go, people will be glad to know us. Why

　　 Because we”re not encumbered. Whatever we do, we can do with ease. We can walk, run, dance and sing -- all with a light heart. We”re Buddhism”s beauty, a sight for sore eyes, graceful wherever we go. No longer burdened, no longer encumbered, we can be at our ease. This is vipassana-ñana: the first branch of knowledge.

　　So. Now that we”ve cleared away these splinters and thorns so that everything is level and smooth, we can relax. And now we”re ready for the knowledge that we can use as a weapon. What”s the knowledge we use as a weapon

　　 Iddhividhi. We can display powers in one way or another, and give rise to miraculous things by way of the body, by way of speech, or by way of the mind. We have powers that we can use in doing the work of the religion. That”s called iddhividhi. But in the Canon they describe it as different kinds of walking: walking through the water without getting wet, walking through fire without getting hot, staying out in the rain without getting chilled, staying out in the wind without getting cold, resilient enough to withstand wind, rain, and sun. If you”re young, you can make yourself old; if old, you can make yourself young. If you”re tall, you can make yourself short; if short, you can make yourself tall. You can change your body in all kinds of ways.

　　This is why the Buddha was able to teach all kinds of people. If he was teaching old people, he”d make his body look old. Old people talking with old people can have a good time, because there”s no distrust or suspicion. If he met up with pretty young women, he could make himself look young. He”d enjoy talking with them, they”d enjoy talking with him and not get bored. This is why the Dhamma he taught appealed to all classes of people. He could adapt his body to fit with whatever type of society he found himself in. For instance, if he met up with children, he”d talk about the affairs of children, act in a childlike way. If he met up with old people, he”d talk about the affairs of old people. If he met up with young men and women, he”d talk about the affairs of young men and women. They”d all enjoy listening to what he had to say, develop a sense of faith, become Buddhists, and even ordain. This is called iddhividhi.

　　Next is manomayiddhi, power in the area of the mind. The mind acquires power. What kind of power

　　 You can go wherever you want. If you want to go sightseeing in hell, you can. If you want to get away from human beings, you can go sightseeing in hell. It”s nice and relaxing. You can play with the denizens of hell, fool around with the denizens of …

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