..续本文上一页e they don”t know, but if they already know and still don”t do, then what”s the problem

　　140

　　Outward scriptural study is not important. Of course, the Dhamma books are correct, but they are not right. They cannot give you right understanding. To see the word "anger" in print is not the same as experiencing anger. Only experiencing for yourself can give you true faith.

　　141

　　If you see things with real insight, then there is no stickiness in your relationship to them. They come - pleasant and unpleasant - you see them and there is no attachment. They come and they pass. Even if the worse kinds of defilements come up, such as greed and anger, there”s enough wisdom to see their impermanent nature and allow them to just fade away. If you react to them, however, by liking or disliking, that isn”t wisdom. You”re only creating more suffering for yourself.

　　142

　　When we know the truth, we become people who don”t have to think much, we become people with wisdom. If we don”t know, we have more thinking than wisdom or no wisdom at all. A lot of thinking without wisdom is extreme suffering.

　　143

　　These days people don”t search for the Truth. People study simply in order to find the knowledge necessary to make a living, raise their families and look after themselves, that”s all. To them being smart is more important than being wise. <, /p>

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　　Virtue

　　144

　　Be careful about observing our precepts. Virtue is a sense of shame. What we have doubts about; we should not do or say. This is virtue. Purity is being beyond all doubts.

　　145

　　There are two levels of practice. The first level forms the foundation, which is the development of virtue, the precepts, in order to bring happiness and harmony among people. The second level is the practice of Dhamma with the sole goal of liberating the heart. This liberation is the source of wisdom and compassion and is the true reason for the Buddha”s teaching. Understanding these two levels is the basis of true practice.

　　146

　　Virtue and morality are the mother and father of the Dhamma growing within us. They provide it with the proper nourishment and guidance.

　　147

　　Virtue is the basis for a harmonious world in which people can live truly as humans and not as animals. Developing virtue is at the heart of our practice. Keep the precepts. Cultivate compassion and respect for all life. Be mindful in your actions and speech. Use virtue to make your life simple and pure. With virtue as a basis for everything you do, your mind will become kind, clear, and quiet. Meditation will grow easily in this environment. 148

　　Look after your virtue as a gardener takes care of his plants. Do not be attached to big or small, important or unimportant. Some people want shortcuts. They say, "Forget concentration, we”ll go straight to insight; forget virtue, we”ll start with concentration." We have so many excuses for our attachments.

　　149

　　Right effort and virtue are not a question of what you do outwardly but of constant inner awareness and restraint. Thus, charity, if given with good intention, can bring happiness to oneself and to others. But virtue must be the root of this charity for it to be pure.

　　150

　　The Buddha taught us to refrain from what is bad, to do good, and to purify the heart. Our practice, then, is to get rid of what is worthless and keep what is valuable. Do you still have anything bad or unskillful in your heart

　　 Of course! So why not clean house

　　 But true practice is not only getting rid of what is bad and cultivating the good. This is only part of it. In the end we must go beyond both good and bad. Finally there is a freedom that includes all and a desirelessness from which love and wisdom naturally flow.

　　15…

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