..续本文上一页, no longer marred by our judgments and negative thoughts. Then we can peacefully respond to suffering and its causes, seeing them clearly as they are.

　　There isn”t enough space to examine the other harmful emotions: fear, worry, greed for power, competition, lust, boredom, guilt, envy, excitement, etc. Each must be investigated from its most crude level to its deepest roots until we can say "no!" to every level and manifestation of defilement. Then our engagement will be fully Buddhist, that is, Dhammic.

　　To be truly Buddhist or Dhammic, our engagement and activism must go one last step. At the same time, that atammayata is clearing up social and emotional problems, it can free us from the deepest dilemma of all — our selves. This "I" which is an "engaged Buddhist," where is it

　　 Can you show it to me

　　 Can you keep it from making mistakes, from being hurt, careless, afraid, wrong, stupid, sick, sorry, burned out, dead

　　 Where is this "Me" that we assume lurks beneath all our activism and living

　　 Look closely, look deeply: please. Can you find it

　　 Can you provide any genuine proof that such a thing really exists

　　 You can”t

　　 Then why not follow the Buddha”s example and say "no!" to ego, to self, to "I," to "mine."

　　Now there is some fresh air in the room, some peace. Enjoy the life of Atammayo ("one who is unconcocted") — the human life that is most peaceful and useful. Now we can understand others, even our "enemies," and have compassion for their fears, worries, and problems. Now we can smile at everyone and really work for peace. Atammayata gives the "non-engaged Buddhist" this freedom to do whatever must be done and not-done. Discover atammayata through saying "No!"

　　Santikaro Bhikkhu

　　Suan Atammayatarama

　　20 October 91

　　Originally written for Seeds of Peace,

　　then the journal of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists.

　　Atammayata is "unconcoctability," a state of mind independent of the objects and conditions of experience. Fully conscious and aware, this mind is not affected by the defilements of greed, anger, and delusion. Thus, the concept is close in meaning to the adjective visankhara, which describes the unconditioned state of Nibbana. Clearly, atammayata is something Buddhists should be aware of.

　　There are many levels to atammayata. We can investigate them from lower to higher levels in both our social life and our spiritual life. As life is just one anyway, why not free it all, in all its aspects, from everything that obscures our peaceful, luminous original minds.

《Say No! with Atammayata》全文阅读结束。