..續本文上一頁lize the four steps of enlightenment viz. stream-winner (sotapanna), once-returner (sakadagami), non-returner (anagami) and the highest step - the fully enlightened one (arahant).

　　Practice as much as you can. Laziness destroys and avoids your progress. Know, when the breath comes in, and know when the breath goes out. Rapture will appear when you breathe in, and there will be rapture when you breathe out. If the mind of a meditator reaches this level, then he is able to overcome the five hindrances. Sloth and torpor, restlessness, doubts, anger and greed – the five hindrances - cannot bother him anymore.

　　If you overcome these hindrances then you are someone who really progresses in Dhamma. If you sit and practice like that, you will see the truth of Dhamma by yourself. Then you don”t have to ask anyone anymore. You will know and see the Dhamma by yourself, through your own experience. I want you to make up your mind and practice, what the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha has taught.

　　If you keep five or eight precepts, you can reach the state of a stream-winner (sotapanna), but you really have to keep these precepts. You don”t know when, it”s like planting a seed and diligently watering it, then one day the plant will flower. Happiness arises in your mind and you might want to offer the flower to the Buddha. That is what happens to the mind of a meditator. His mind will be filled with joy.

　　One flower is not as beautiful as many flowers put together to a flower arrangement. A meditator develops morality, concentration and wisdom. This is arranging the flowers. Your heart is a beautiful flower, like a lotus in a pond. But if there is only one lotus it”s not as beautiful as if there are many of them. Therefore water them diligently and it will become like the beautiful flower arrangements here in this Meditation hall.

　　Different flowers have different colors and the leaves have yet another color. But everything together makes these arrangements so beautiful. Flowers change their color, by reflecting on this, you can see impermanence (anicca). Know that it is the same with your body. It has to whither like these flowers. When you pay respect to the Buddha, you might burn incense and candles. The incense burn down and then they are gone and the candle slowly burns down until it extinguishes. Watching this and reflecting on it, will show you the truth of impermanence. Your are someone who sees and knows.

　　As a meditator you should develop mindfulness in everything you do and you will know and see the truth in everything. You will see the truth of impermanence in everything. Try to practice as much as you can. It”s important to develop concentration and to see the true nature of things, to see impermanence. That is what the Buddha taught.

　　So, practice a lot, don”t let up and stay “on the ball”. Practice “Bud-“ while breathing in, “-dho” while breathing out, have mindfulness by breathing in and have mindfulness by breathing out. If you do that, rapture and joy will arise in the mind and the hindrances will disappear. No more sloth and torpor will come up. Rapture will increase your concentration. The hindrances avoid that you see Dhamma. Rapture will help you to cut these hindrances and you will see the truth of Dhamma, you will see impermanence. If you see impermanence, go on and practice even more, do as much as you can. Increase your experience. See and know what the Buddha taught. The Buddha taught us to see our body and mind and to see that they are impermanent and this is really suffering.

　　Sitting for a long time lets suffering arise in the body. Pain arises and this pain is hard to endure. We have to know and let go. But bodily pain is really hard to endure. The Buddha himself practiced very hard. He ate so lit…

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