..续本文上一页h and mind. You can never really do too much of this. The practice of mindfulness and restraint with body, speech and mind and the consistent distinguishing between right and wrong is what you hold as the object of mind. You become concentrated in this way and by firmly and unshakably attaching to this way of practice, it means the mind actually becomes silâ, samådhi and paññå - the characteristics of the practice as described in the conventional teachings.

　　As you continue to develop and maintain the practice, these different characteristics and qualities are perfected together in the mind. However, practising silâ, samådhi and paññå at this level is still not enough to produce the factors of jhåna (meditative absorption) - the practice is still too coarse. Still, the mind is already quite refined - on the refined side of coarse! For an ordinary unenlightened person who has not been looking after the mind or practised much meditation and mindfulness, just this much is already something quite refined. At this level, you can feel a sense of satisfaction with being able to practise to the full extent of your ability. This is something you will see for yourself; it”s something that has to be experienced within the mind of the practitioner.

　　If this is so, it means that you are already on the path, i.e. practising silâ, samådhi and paññå. These must be practised together, for if any are lacking, the practice will not develop correctly. The more your silâ improves, the firmer the mind becomes. The firmer the mind is, the bolder paññå becomes and so on ... each part of the practice supporting and enhancing all the others. As you deepen and refine the practice, silâ, samådhi and paññå will mature together from the same place - they are refined down from the same raw material. In other words the Path has coarse beginnings, but, as a result of training and refining the mind through meditation and reflection, it becomes increasingly subtle. As the mind becomes more refined, the practice of mindfulness becomes more focussed, being concentrated on a more and more narrow area. The practice actually becomes easier as the mind turns more and more inwards to focus on itself. You no longer make big mistakes or go wildly wrong. Now, whenever the mind is affected by a particular matter, doubts will arise - such as whether acting or speaking in a certain way is right or wrong - you simply keep halting the mental proliferation and, through intensifying effort in the practice, continue turning your attention deeper and deeper inside. The practice of samådhi will become progressively firmer and more concentrated. The practice of paññå is enhanced so that you can see things more clearly and with increasing ease.

　　The end result is that you are clearly able to see the mind and its objects, without having to make any distinction between the mind, body or speech. As you continue to turn attention inwards and reflect on the Dhamma, the wisdom faculty gradually matures, and eventually you are left contemplating the mind and mind-objects - which means that you start to experience the body as immaterial. Through your insight, you are no longer groping at or uncertain in your understanding of the body and the way it is. The mind experiences the body”s physical characteristics as formless objects which come into contact with the mind. Ultimately, you are contemplating just the mind and mind-objects - those objects which come into your consciousness. Now, examining the true nature of the mind, you can observe that in its natural state, it has no preoccupations or issues prevaili…

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