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　　 Understand

　　 If we think of making a donation, we say, ”No. That”d be a waste. We”d do better to use it for this or that.” So what is this

　　 Do you understand whose ”middleness” this is

　　 If we”re going to follow the way of the Dhamma, we say it”s too extreme, but if we”re going to follow the way of defilement, then we”re ready for anything, without a thought for middleness at all. So whose middleness is this

　　 It”s just the middleness of the defilements, because the defilements have their middleness just like we do.

　　When people do good, want to go to heaven, want to attain nibbana, they”re afraid that it”s craving. But when they want to go to hell in this very life, you know, they don”t worry about whether it”s craving or not. They don”t even think about it. When they go into a bar: Is this craving

　　 They don”t stop to think about it. When they drink liquor or fool around with the ways to deprivation (apaya-mukha): Is this the middle way or not

　　 Is this craving

　　 Is this defilement or not

　　 They don”t bother to think. But when they think of turning to the area of the Dhamma, then it becomes too extreme. Everything becomes too extreme. What is this

　　 Doesn”t the thought ever occur to us that these are the opinions of the defilements dragging us along

　　 The defilements dress things up just fine. Their real middleness is in the middle of the pillow, the middle of the sleeping mat. As soon as we do a little walking meditation and think buddho, dhammo, sangho, it”s as if we were being taken to our death, as if we were tied to a leash like a monkey squirming and jumping so that we”ll let go of the buddho that will lead us beyond their power. Whether we”re going to give alms, observe the precepts, or practice meditation, we”re afraid that we”re going to faint and die. There”s nothing but defilement putting up obstacles and blocking our way. We don”t realize what the middleness of defilement is like, because it”s been lulling us to sleep all along.

　　Just now I mentioned the two soldiers who had studied military science, one of whom had gone into battle while the other one hadn”t. We can compare this to studying the texts. Those who have gone into battle -- who have had experience dealing with defilement and fighting with defilement -- are the ones who can describe the middle way correctly and accurately. If you simply study and memorize... Here I”m not belittling study. Study all you can. Memorize all you can. I”m not criticizing memorization. But if you simply memorize the names of the defilements -- even if you memorize their ancestry -- it doesn”t mean a thing if you aren”t intent on the practice. If you don”t practice, it”s just like memorizing the names of different criminals. What this or that gang of criminals does, how it makes its money, what it likes to do, what their names are: We can memorize these things. Not to mention just their names, we can even memorize their ancestry, but if we don”t get into action and deal with them, those criminals whose names we can remember will keep on harming the world. So simply memorizing names doesn”t serve any purpose. We have to get into action and lay down a strategy. Where do those criminals rob and steal

　　 We then take our strategy and put it into practice, lying in wait for them this place and that, until we can catch them. Society can then live in peace. This is the area of the practice.

　　The same holds true with defilements and mental effluents. We have to practice. Once we know, we put our knowledge into practice. What is it like to give alms

　　 We”ve already given them. What is it like to observe the precepts

　　 We”ve already observed them. What is it like to meditate

　　 We”ve already done it. This is called practice. It”s not that we simply memorize …

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