..續本文上一頁 and age. There is only this one way: following the way of the path, beginning with virtue, concentration, and discernment, to eliminate defilement, the cause of stress -- in particular, craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, and craving for no becoming -- completely from the heart. As for nirodha, the cessation of stress: When defilement is disbanded, from where will any more suffering or stress arise

　　 When defilement and stress are disbanded for good, that”s the outer space of the mind. As for the Noble Truths, they”re activities, or our workplace. The result that comes from these four Noble Truths is something else entirely. As I”ve always been telling you: What is it that knows that stress and the cause of stress disband

　　 When the path has performed its duties to the full and has completely wiped out the cause of stress, then nirodha -- the cessation of stress -- appears in full measure, after which it disbands as well, because it too is a conventional reality. As for the one who knows that the cause of stress has disbanded by being eradicated through the path so as to give rise to the cessation of stress: The one who knows this is the pure one -- the outer space of the mind -- and that”s the end of the matter.

　　So investigate carefully. Listen carefully when you listen to the Dhamma while putting it to use. When we work, we can”t let go of our tools. For instance, if we”re working with an ax, the ax has to be at hand. If we”re working with a knife, the knife has to be at hand. If we”re working with a chisel, the chisel has to be at hand. But when we”ve finished our work, we let go of our chisel, we let go of our various tools. So here the virtue, concentration, and discernment that are called the path are our tools in the work of eliminating defilement. We have to keep them right at hand while we are working. When we have eliminated defilement until it”s completely defeated and nothing is left, these tools are phenomena that let go of themselves of their own accord, without our having to force them.

　　As I”ve always been saying, the teachings on inconstancy, stress, and not-self are our path. We can”t let go of them. We have to investigate things with mindfulness and discernment so as to see them clearly in line with the principles of inconstancy, stress, and not-self. Once we”re ready and we”ve run the full course, we let go of these principles in line with the truth. We don”t call anything not-self. Each thing is a separate reality, with no quarreling. This is the Dhamma: It has many stages, many levels, so those who listen have to make distinctions, because in this talk I”ve discussed many stages on many levels, back and forth, so as to make things plain for those listening.

　　To summarize: The marketplace of the paths, fruitions, and nibbana is located in the Noble Truths. It isn”t located anywhere else. So, whatever else, make sure that you attain them. Accelerate your efforts to the full extent of your ability. Use all the mindfulness and discernment you have to contemplate and investigate things in order to see them clearly. See what it”s like to set them spinning as a wheel of Dhamma, which the Buddha has described as super-mindfulness and super-discernment. When we start out practicing, how can they immediately become super-mindfulness and super-discernment

　　 When children are born, they don”t immediately become adults. They have to be nourished and guarded and cared for. Think of how much it takes, how much it costs, for each child to become an adult as we all have. Mindfulness and discernment need to be nourished and guarded in just the same way. When we nourish and guard them unceasingly, unflaggingly, they grow bold and capable until they become super-mindfulness and super-discernment. Then they attack the defilements -- no matter what the sort -- until the defilements are slashed to pieces with nothing left, so that we attain purity -- release and nibbana -- within our own heart, which will then have the highest value. Whether or not anyone else confers titles on it, we ourselves don”t confer titles. We”ve reached sufficiency, so what is there to gain by conferring titles

　　 All that”s left is the gentleness and tenderness of purity, blended into one with benevolence. The entire mind is filled with benevolence.

　　The Buddha taught the beings of the world through his benevolence. His mind was completely gentle toward every living being in the three levels of the cosmos. He didn”t exalt or demean any of them at all. ”Sabbe satta” -- ”May all living beings who are fellows in suffering, birth, aging, illness, and death” -- ”avera hontu” -- ”be free from enmity”... all the way to ”sukhi attanam pariharantu” -- ”may they maintain themselves with ease.” [5] That was his benevolence. He gave equality to all living beings. He didn”t lean, because his mind didn”t have anything to lean. It didn”t have any defilements infiltrating it that could make it lean. The things leaning this way and that are all affairs of defilement. When there”s pure Dhamma, the mind keeps its balance with pure fairness, so there”s no leaning. It”s a principle of nature that stays as it is.

　　So I ask that you all take this and earnestly put it into practice. Gain release so as to see it clearly in your heart. How do they compare: this heart as it”s currently coerced and oppressed, and the heart when it has attained release from coercion and oppression. How do they differ in value

　　 Come to see this clearly in your own heart. You won”t see it anywhere else. Sanditthiko: It”s immediately apparent within the person who practices.

　　So then. This seems to be enough explanation for now.

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