..续本文上一页ts. Can you believe it! You would be sitting there suffering again. Can you see this

　　 Why is it like this

　　 When you didn”t have any money you would suffer; when you finally receive some you think your problems are over, but before long the interest payments would start eating away at your funds, just leading you to more suffering. This is the way it is.

　　The Buddha taught that the way to practise with this is to observe the present moment, and develop insight into the transient nature of the body and mind; to see the truth of the Dhamma -- that conditioned things simply arise and pass away, and nothing more. It”s the nature of the body and mind to be that way, so don”t attach or cling firmly on to them. If you have insight into this, it gives rise to peace as the result. This is peace that comes from letting go of defilements; it arises in conjunction with the arising of wisdom.

　　What causes wisdom to arise

　　 It comes from contemplating the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering and nonself, which brings you insight into the truth of the way things are. You have to see the truth clearly and unmistakably in your own mind. That is only way to really gain wisdom. There has to be continuous clear insight. You see for yourself that all mental objects and moods (arammana) that arise into consciousness pass away and after that cessation there is more arising. After more arising there is further cessation. If you still have attachment and clinging suffering must arise from moment to moment, but if you are letting go, you won”t create any suffering. Once the mind is clearly seeing the impermanence of phenomena, this is what is meant by sitibhuto - the internal witness. The mind is so firmly absorbed in its contemplation that the insight is self-sustaining. So in the end, you can only accept as partial truths all the teachings and wisdom that you receive from others.

　　On one occasion the Buddha gave a discourse to a group of monks, and afterwards asked Venerable Sariputta, who had been listening:

　　"Sariputta, do you believe what I have been teaching you

　　"

　　"I still don”t believe it, Bhante," Sariputta replied. The Buddha was pleased with this response and continued,

　　"That is good Sariputta. You shouldn”t believe any teaching people give you too easily. A sage must contemplate thoroughly everything he hears before accepting it fully. You should take this teaching away with you and contemplate it first." Even though he had received a teaching from the Buddha himself, Venerable Sariputta didn”t immediately believe every single word of it. He was heedful of the right way to train his mind, and took the teaching away with him to investigate it further. He would only accept the teaching if, after reflecting upon the Buddha”s explanation of the truth, he found that it stimulated the arising of wisdom in his own mind and this insight made his mind peaceful and unified with the Dhamma (Truth). The understanding that arose must lead to the Dhamma becoming fixed within his own mind. It had to be in accordance with the truth of the way things are. The Buddha taught his disciples to accept a point of Dhamma only if, beyond all doubt, they found it to be in line with the way things are in reality -- as seen both from one”s own and other people”s experience and understanding.

　　In the end, the important thing is to simply investigate the truth. You don”t have to look very far away, just observe what”s happening in the present moment. Watch what is happening in your own mind. Let go of the past. Let go of the future. Just be mindful of the present moment, and wisdom will arise from investigating and seeing clearly the characteristics of impermanence, suffering and nonself. If you are walking see that it”s impermanent, if sitting see that it”s imp…

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