..续本文上一页called “big,” then there is “small.” If there is small there is big. We can talk about small and large, young and old, but there are really no such things in any absolute sense. You can”t really say somebody or something is big. The wise do not accept such designations as real, but when ordinary people hear about this, that “big” is not really true and “small” is not really true, they are confused, because they are attached to concepts of big and small.
You plant a sapling and watch it grow. After a year it is one meter high. After another year it is two meters tall. Is it the same tree or a different tree
If it”s the same tree, how did it become bigger
If it”s a different tree, how did it grow from the small tree
From the viewpoint of someone who is enlightened to the Dharma and sees correctly, there is no new or old tree, no big or small tree. One person looks at a tree and thinks it is tall. Another person will say it”s not tall. But there is no “tall” that really exists of its own. You can”t say someone is big and someone is small, someone is grown up and someone else is young. Things end here, and problems are finished with. We don”t need to get tied up in knots over these conventional distinctions, and we won”t have doubts about practice.
I”ve heard of people who worship their deities by sacrificing animals. They kill ducks, chickens, and cows, and offer that to their gods, thinking that will be pleasing to them. This is wrong understanding. They think they are making merits, but it”s the exact opposite: they are actually making a lot of bad karma. Someone who really looks into this won”t think like that. But have you noticed
I”m afraid people in Thailand are becoming like that. They”re not applying real investigation…
Q: Is that vimamsa
AC: It means understanding cause and result.
Q: Then the teachings talk about chanda, satisfaction; viriya, exertion; citta… (the four iddhipada, “bases for accomplishment”)
AC: When there”s satisfaction, is it with something that is correct
Is exertion correct
Vimamsa has to be present with these other factors.
Q: Are citta and vimamsa different
AC: Vimamsa is investigation. It means skillfulness, or wisdom. It is a factor of the mind. You can say that chanda is mind, viriya is mind, citta is mind, vimamsa is mind. They are all aspects of mind, they all can be summarized as “mind,” but here they are distinguished for the purpose of pointing out these different factors of the mind. If there is satisfaction, we may not know if it is right or wrong. If there is exertion, we don”t know if it”s right or wrong. Is what we call mind the real mind
There has to be vimamsa to discern these things. Investigating the other factors with wise discernment, our practice gradually comes to be correct, and we can understand the Dharma.
But Dharma doesn”t bring much benefit if we don”t practice meditation. We won”t really know what it is all about. These factors are always present in the mind of a real practitioner. Then even if they go astray, they will be aware of that and be able to correct it. So their path of practice is continuous.
People may look at you and feel your way of life, your interest in Dharma, makes no sense. Others may say that if you want to practice Dharma, you ought to ordain. Ordaining or not ordaining is not really the crucial point. It”s how you practice. As it”s said, one should be one”s own witness. Don”t take others as your witness. It means learning to trust yourself. Then there is no loss. People may think you are crazy, but never mind. They don”t know anything about Dharma.
Others” words can”t measure your practice. And you don”t realize the Dharma because of what others say. I mean the real Dharma. The teachings others can give you are to show you the path, …
《The Dharma Goes Westward》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…