..續本文上一頁ou need respect for those who have followed the path: someone like the Buddha who discovered the path and the Sangha, people who followed the Buddha”s example and found the same freedom, total freedom from suffering, the same true happiness. Respect for the teaching that the Buddha and the Sangha have passed on.

　　When you have this proper attitude of respect, respect for heedfulness, the proper respect for stress and pain, respect for the kind of happiness that forms the heart of the path, and respect for concentration—that”s also in the chant— that”s the attitude that will bring you to the presence of Nibbana.

　　So there”s no clear-cut line between Buddhism as a philosophy and the more religious side of Buddhism where the etiquette of respect comes in. What”s important, though, is that we understand the attitude of respect. There”s one passage where the Buddha talks about how, one, the attitude of respect gives you a grounding and, two, it enables you to learn. The purpose of respect is to learn, to open your mind. Not only does it open your mind, but also when other people see that you”re respectful of the truth, they”re happy to teach. Whoever has any knowledge is willing to share it. In fact, for the monks, they”re supposed to have respect for everybody. If someone criticizes a monk, the monk is supposed to treat that person with respect, whether the person”s right or wrong. Try to keep an open mind because many times you learn from unlikely people, unexpected sources. They might have something good to say. So we”re taught never to be dismissive when we”re criticized.

　　After all, the principle of causality is right here in the present, not only for you to observe but for other people to observe as well. So everyone has that potential to have some very useful observations. This is why Ajaan Fuang one time said that an attitude of respect is a sign of intelligence. If you want to learn, if you want to master the way to the end of suffering, an attitude of respect is a very important quality.

　　Respect for heedfulness: Understand that the principle of causality means that there”s great potential for danger. If we misuse that principle, we can cause ourselves a lot of unnecessary suffering. But the respect for the training, the respect for concentration: that”s respect for our potential to use that principle of causality for very good ends. Total release. Total freedom.

　　So instead of being negative or pessimistic, the Buddha”s teachings are extremely positive, much more positive than anything else in the world. They say that our desire for true happiness is realistic, worthy of the highest respect.

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