..续本文上一页able to look at both the things we like and the things we dislike as having equal value

　　 Measure yourself against this standard. In our everyday lives, in the various experiences we encounter, if we hear something which we like, does our mood change

　　 If we encounter an experience which isn”t to our liking, does our mood change

　　 Or is the mind unmoved

　　 Looking right here we have a gauge.

　　Just know yourself, this is your witness. Don”t make decisions on the strength of your desires. Desires can puff us up into thinking we are something which we”re not. We must be very circumspect.

　　There are so many angles and aspects to consider, but the right way is not to follow your desires, but the Truth. We should know both the good and the bad, and when we know them to let go of them. If we don”t let go we are still there, we still "exist," we still "have." If we still "are" then there is a remainder, there are becoming and birth in store.

　　Therefore the Buddha said to judge only yourself, don”t judge others, no matter how good or evil they may be. The Buddha merely points out the way, saying "The truth is like this." Now, is our mind like that or not

　　For instance, suppose a monk took some things belonging to another monk, then that other monk accused him, "You stole my things." "I didn”t steal them, I only took them." So we ask a third monk to adjudicate. How should he decide

　　 He would have to ask the offending monk to appear before the convened Sangha. "Yes, I took it, but I didn”t steal it." Or in regard to other rules, such as parajika or sanghadisesa offenses: "Yes, I did it, but I didn”t have intention." How can you believe that

　　 It”s tricky. If you can”t believe it, all you can do is leave the onus with the doer, it rests on him.

　　But you should know that we can”t hide the things that arise in our minds. You can”t cover them up, either the wrongs or the good actions. Whether actions are good or evil, you can”t dismiss them simply by ignoring them, because these things tend to reveal themselves. They conceal themselves, they reveal themselves, they exist in and of themselves. They are all automatic. This is how things work.

　　Don”t try to guess at or speculate about these things. As long as there is still avijja (unknowing) they are not finished with. The Chief Privy Councilor once asked me, "Luang Por, is the mind of an anagami [58] pure yet

　　"

　　"It”s partly pure."

　　"Eh

　　 An anagami has given up sensual desire, how is his mind not yet pure

　　"

　　"He may have let go of sensual desire, but there is still something remaining, isn”t there

　　 There is still avijja. If there is still something left then there is still something left. It”s like the bhikkhus” alms bowls. There are "a large-size large bowl; a medium-sized large bowl, a small-sized large bowl; then a large-sized medium bowl, a medium-sized medium bowl, a small-sized medium bowl; then there are a large-sized small bowl, a medium-sized small bowl and a small-sized small bowl... No matter how small it is there is still a bowl there, right

　　 That”s how it is with this...sotapanna, sakadagami, anagami... they have all given up certain defilements, but only to their respective levels. Whatever still remains, those Noble Ones don”t see. If they could they would all be arahants. They still can”t see all. Avijja is that which doesn”t see. If the mind of the anagami was completely straightened out he wouldn”t be an anagami, he would be fully accomplished. But there is still something remaining.

　　"Is his mind purified

　　"

　　"Well, it is somewhat, but not 100%."

　　How else could I answer

　　 He said that later on he would come and question me about it further. He can look into it, the standard is there.

　　Don”t be careless. Be alert. The Lord Buddha exhorted us to be alert. In regards to thi…

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