..续本文上一页 can be explained, can be exemplified with situations that belong to everyday life, that are familiar to all of us. In fact if you look at the Buddha”s own teachings, you will find that He always used examples that were familiar to his audience when teaching the Dharma. So here too in regard to mindfulness, we may do well to look at the importance of mindfulness in our ordinary mundane activities. Mindfulness is awareness or attention, avoiding a distracted and clouded state of mind. There would be many fewer accidents if everyone were mindful. So whether one is driving a car, or crossing a busy street, or doing accounts, whatever one is doing, that task would be more effectively carried out if one is attentive and mindful. It will increase one”s efficiency, productivity, and similarly it will reduce the number of accidents that occur due to inattention, due to the failure to be aware.

　　Specifically, in regard to the practice of the Dharma, mindfulness acts as a rein upon our mind. In this sense, if we consider how our mind normally behaves, we can see a need for a rein, a control upon our mind. A moment ago, there was a gust of wind which caused a window over here on my right to bang. I am sure that most of our minds immediately focussed upon that sound. Similarly, at almost every moment of our life, our minds are running after objects of the senses. The mind is never concentrated, or still. The objects of the senses may be sounds, or they may be sights. As you drive down the streets, your eyes may be caught by an attractive advertisement, your mind will be attracted to that advertisement. When you smell someone”s perfume, your mind will become entangled with that object. All these are the causes of distraction. So in order to control, to minimize this distraction, we need a kind of guard which can protect the mind from becoming entangled with objects of the senses, from becoming entangled in unwholesome thoughts. This guard is mindfulness.

　　The Buddha once told a story about two acrobats - master and apprentice. On one occasion the master said to the apprentice, "You protect me, and I will protect you. In this way we will perform our tricks and come down safely." But the apprentice said, "No master, that will not do. I will protect myself and you will protect yourself." In the same way we have to guard our own mind. Some people may say this is rather selfish. What about teamwork

　　 But I think that is a fundamental misunderstanding. A chain is only as strong at its weakest link. A team is only as efficient as its members. A team of distracted persons who are incapable of discharging their own responsibilities will be an inefficient team. Similarly, in order that we can play an effective role in relation to our fellow beings, we must first guard our mind. Suppose you have a fine car. You will be careful to park the car in such a place so that it will not be hit by another motorist. Even at work or at home, you will occasionally look out of the window to make sure the car is all right. You will be sure to take it to the mechanic regularly. You will be sure to wash it regularly. In the same way all of us possess one thing which is far more valuable than any other possession. That one thing is our mind.

　　Recognizing the value of our mind, we ought to guard it. This is being mindful. This is an aspect of mental development which we can practise at any time and in any place. Sometimes I find people saying to me that it is extremely difficult to practise meditation, and often people are also somewhat afraid to practise meditation. By and large, they are thinking of concentration meditation or sitting meditation. But even if one is not prepared to practise concentration meditation, certainly Right Effort and Right Mindfulness can be pract…

《Mental Development》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…