..續本文上一頁 from the moment of attainment it”s called ”the one nibbana.”

　　In other words, the mind is completely free. It displays no further activity for the removal of defilement. This is called the one nibbana. If you want, you can call it the fruition of arahantship, for at this stage there are no more defilements to quibble. Or you can call it the one nibbana. But if you want to give it the conventional label most appropriate to the actual principle, so that nothing is deficient in conventional terms, you have to say ”the one nibbana” so as to be completely fitting with conventional reality and release in the final phase of wiping out the cemeteries of the mind of unawareness.

　　The Buddha taught,

　　n”atthi santi param sukham:

　　There is no ease other than peace.

　　This refers to the stage of those who have no more defilements, who have attained sa-upadisesa-nibbana alive, such as the arahants.

　　To practice the religion means to attend to your own heart and mind. Who is it that suffers pain and difficulty

　　 Who is the suspect, forever imprisoned

　　 Who else, if not the mind

　　 And who has it imprisoned, if not all the defilements and mental effluents

　　 To deal with the situation, you have to deal directly with the enemies of the heart, using your discernment, for only sharp discernment is capable of dealing with the defilements until they dissolve away of their own accord, as I have already mentioned. From that point on, there are no more problems.

　　As for rupa, vedana, sañña, sankhara, and viññana, they”re simply conditions — just conditions — no longer capable of affecting or provoking the mind. The same with sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations: Each has its separate reality. To each one we say, ”If it exists, it exists. If not, no matter.” The only problem has been the mind that makes labels and assumptions through its own stupidity. Once it gains enough intelligence, it becomes real. All phenomena within and without are real. Each has its own separate reality, with no more of the conflicts or issues that used to occur.

　　When we reach the stage where ”each has its own separate reality,” we can say that the war between the mind and defilement is over. When the time comes to part, we part. If not, we live together, like everyone else in the world, but we don”t take issue with each other like everyone else in the world, because we”ve made our investigation.

　　If the words ”inconstancy, stress, and not-self” don”t refer to the khandhas for which we are responsible, what do they refer to

　　 So now we have completed our studies — our study of the three characteristics (tilakkhana), rather than of the three pisions (tipitaka) of the Pali Canon, although actually the three pisions are nothing other than the three characteristics, in that the three pisions are a description of the three characteristics throughout.

　　Inconstancy: the process of change. Stress. Not-self: The khandhas are not us — not us while we are living, so when we die what is there to latch onto

　　 When you see the truth in this way, you don”t worry or feel apprehensive over the life or death of the khandhas. The mind simply perceives the modes in which the khandhas behave and break apart, but by its nature it doesn”t disband along with the khandhas, so there”s nothing to fear. If death comes, you don”t try to prevent it. It life continues, you don”t try to prevent it, for each is a truth.

　　In completing your study of death, you become the ultimate person — the ultimate you. When you have completed your study of death, you don”t fear death — ”If life continues, let it continue; if death comes, let it die” — for you have spread a net around yourself with your discernment. You don”t tremble over the truths of which the heart is fully aware at all times.

　　So. That”s enough for now. As it happens, we”re at the end of the tape...

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