..續本文上一頁aims at status and prestige is neither Dhamma nor Vinaya.

　　(5) Whatever behavior leads away from having few wants is neither Dhamma nor Vinaya.

　　(6) Whatever behavior aims at entanglement with others is neither Dhamma nor Vinaya.

　　(7) Whatever behavior leads to laziness and carelessness is neither Dhamma nor Vinaya.

　　(8) Whatever behavior makes one a burden to others is neither Dhamma nor Vinaya.

　　To be able to conduct yourself in this manner means that you are able to govern yourself. And when a person can govern himself, he develops authority from within, through the disciplinary standards, enabling him to govern others well.

　　This is what is meant by "governing by Vinaya."

　　C. Governing by Dhamma: This means to govern with one”s own inner quality as a person, i.e., having rectitude constantly in the heart; keeping the mind firmly established in Right View by fostering discernment through the practice of meditation; developing Right Concentration so as to wipe out the fetters of sexual lust — which include, for example, sensual desire (Kama-chanda), a willingness to give in to sensual moods, which tends toward mental pain and stress. When a person”s mind falls under the power of such fetters, it means that there is no quality to him. For the mind to lack quality means that it has fallen in with the mental Hindrances (Nivarana):

　　1. Kama-chanda (sensual desire) or sexual lust: indulging in sensual moods, taking pleasure in sensual desires that arise within and lead one to take pleasure in sensual objects — a sign that the heart isn”t centered in the proper way. This then leads to patigha: The mind is "struck," sometimes to its satisfaction, sometimes not, which is the basis for:

　　2. Byapada: ill will and malevolence.

　　3. Thina-middha: discouragement, apathy, laziness; not making the effort to center the mind in the factors of jhana; not developing a theme of meditation in the mind. The mind thus surrenders to lethargy and discouragement, abandoning its duties and responsibilities. This makes it restless and a prey to distraction, unable to put a halt to its train of thought. This is called —

　　4. Uddhacca-kukkucca. When this is the case, then no matter how much Dhamma one may study, the heart is still dark and blinded. Whatever one knows or sees is unclear. One”s conduct is lax and lacking, unable to progress to anything of higher value. For the heart to be caught on a snag like this is termed —

　　5. Vicikiccha: doubt, uncertainty, indecision, an inability to go forward or turn back. When this is the case, the mind is classed as having no quality. In other words, it lacks the concentration that will give rise to discernment and the skill of release.

　　Those, however, who can escape from the Hindrances and center the mind into jhana or concentration will give rise to discernment: the power to keep their defilements within the bounds of rectitude and to unbind their goodness so that it can govern others effortlessly, achieving their own well-being and that of others through the power of their governance. They will awaken from the mundane world, and the supreme good — Dhamma — will appear within them. This is what it means for the heart to have quality.

　　Most of us, by and large, have no constant quality in our hearts. Instead, we go looking for quality in things outside and so can never succeed or find security. When this is the case, we”re unfit to govern ourselves — and if we”re unfit to govern ourselves, then to govern others for the sake of their betterment will be extremely difficult.

　　This concludes our discussion of the Department of Internal Governance and the duties of those who accept responsibility in this area.

　　This is all there is to the Department of Internal Governance. Whoever has responsibilities in this area must c…

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