..續本文上一頁his, for the world can be worth living in and can bring happiness, peace, and joy. Beyond this mundane joy lies the prospect of progress and happiness within the heart itself. However, it does need commitment and energy to achieve this subtle and more refined type of happiness.

　　Those who are especially interested in the way of meditation2 really stand in the front line — if this is considered in images of going to war and battle. Those who decide on this approach can”t afford to be weak and faint-hearted. Whatever they attempt will require vigilance, and such exertion will then steadily develop in them a consistent and stable mindfulness. Any lack of this and they won”t be considered tough enough to succeed in the war.

　　This toughness depends on an alert effort, together with mindfulness and wisdom checking on the behavior to see whether it is going in the right or wrong way. As this becomes increasingly subtle and involved, it is more and more necessary to depend on the protection of mindfulness and wisdom. The stream of the heart and its various imaginings and concoctions will not then go and amass poisonous ideas and emotional objects with which to burn and torment itself. Once the heart has received proper care and nurturing it will gradually come to peace, and be radiant and happy without any fading into downhearted dullness, as it did before.

　　All of you have been training here for quite a long time, so please draw into your heart the Dhamma of the Lord Buddha. Don”t think that you”ll be leaving3 your teacher and monastery behind. Your departure is only an activity or physical movement. The important thing to remember are the Lord Buddha”s words:

　　"Anyone who practices Dhamma in accordance with the way of Dhamma, is truly one who offers reverence to the Tathagata."

　　That practice is the way of mindfulness, wisdom, faith and diligent effort. It has to be there in every posture and at all times. This right conduct within the heart, together with continuous watchfulness is what is meant by ”practicing Dhamma following the Way and giving constant reverence to the Tathagata”, the Lord Buddha.

　　The Lord Buddha continued:

　　"Whoever sees Dhamma, sees the Tathagata."

　　How does one see, know and practice so as to see this Dhamma

　　 It”s by practicing as we are doing now, and especially refers to meditation. This is the way of practicing Dhamma. Seeing Dhamma is discerning those obstructions present within oneself that should be counted ”the enemy”. These are the first two Noble Truths, that of Suffering and its Cause.

　　We investigate these things to penetrate to their true nature, which exists in every human being and animal — the only exception being the arahant who has gone beyond. The rest of us must possess this Cause to some degree, and it”s this that he called the Noble Truth. By examining and seeing Dhamma in the true state of affairs, it”s then possible to turn to letting go and uprooting. This results in coolness and peace within. This letting go and uprooting is also termed ”seeing Dhamma”, for it is a gradual seeing, level by level, step by step, until one finally perceives the whole Tathagata.

　　We can speak about these levels of attainment in this way: Those who have practiced up to stream-entry4 can be said to have seen the Lord Buddha at one level, having penetrated into the stream of Dhamma. It is the beginning of seeing, as if you are standing in a field and can glimpse the Lord in the distance. The once-returner5 stage seems to bring the Lord a little closer and the nonreturner6 sees him closer still. Until finally, with the arahant7 stage, you see the Lord Buddha in full. The Dhamma that facilitates our reaching each of these stages resides with everyone of us.

　　Holding to the practice is like following behind and sig…

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