..续本文上一页 recollecting in the mind. Practise like this until you are fluent. Practise so that you can keep abreast of what”s going on in the mind; to the point where mindfulness becomes effortless and you are mindful before you act, mindful before you speak. This is the way you establish mindfulness in the heart. It is with the ”one who knows” that you look after yourself, because all your actions spring from here. By guarding your speech and actions they become graceful and pleasing to the eye and ear, while you yourself remain comfortable and at ease within the restraint. If you practise mindfulness and restraint until it becomes comfortable and natural to you, the mind will become firm and resolute in the practise of silâ and restraint. It will be consistently paying attention to the practice and thus become concentrated. The characteristic of being unwavering in the practice of mindfulness and restraint is called ”samådhi.” The mind is firmly concentrated in this practice of silâ and restraint. Being firmly concentrated in the practice of silâ means that there is an evenness and consistency to the practice of mindfulness and restraint. These are the characteristics of samådhi as an external factor in the practice. However, it also has an inner, deeper side to it.
Once the mind has an intentness in the practice and silâ and samådhi are firmly established, you will be able to investigate and reflect on that which is wholesome and unwholesome - asking yourself "Is this right
..." "Is that wrong
" as you experience different mind-objects. When the mind makes contact with different sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations or ideas, the ”one who knows” will arise and establish awareness of liking and disliking, happiness and suffering and the different kinds of mind-objects that you experience. You will come to see clearly, and see many different things. If you are mindful, you will see the different objects which pass into the mind and the reaction which takes place upon experiencing them. The ”one who knows” will automatically take them up as objects for contemplation. Once the mind is vigilant and mindfulness is firmly established, you will note all the reactions displayed through either body, speech or mind, as mind-objects are experienced. That aspect of the mind which identifies and selects the good from the bad, the right from the wrong, from amongst all the mind-objects within your field of awareness, is paññå. This is paññå in its initial stages and it matures as a result of the practice. All these different aspects of the practice arise from within the mind. The Buddha referred to these characteristics as silâ, samådhi and paññå. As you continue the practice, fresh attachments and new kinds of delusion begin to arise in the mind.
This means you start clinging to that which is good or wholesome. You become fearful of any blemishes or faults in the mind - anxious that your samådhi will be harmed by them. At the same time you begin to be diligent and hard working, and to love and nurture the practice. You continue to practise like this as much as possible, until you might even reach the point where you are constantly judging and picking fault with everyone you meet, wherever you go. You are constantly reacting with attraction and aversion to the world around you, becoming full of all kinds of uncertainty and continually attaching to views of the right and wrong way to practise. It”s as if you have become obsessed with the practice. But you don”t have to worry about this yet - at that point it”s better to practise too much than too little. Practise a lot and dedicate yourself to looking after body, speec…
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