..续本文上一页can”t find any foundation at all in the practice."

　　He asked, "What”s the problem

　　"

　　"In the course of my practice I picked up the Visuddhimagga and read it, but it seems impossible to put into practice. The contents of the Silanidesa, Samadhinidesa and Paññanidesa seem to be completely impractical. I don”t think there is anybody in the world who could do it, it”s so detailed and meticulous. To memorize every single rule would be impossible, it”s beyond me."

　　He said to me: "Venerable... there”s a lot, it”s true, but it”s really only a little. If we were to take account of every training rule in the Silanidesa that would be difficult... true... But actually, what we call the Silanidesa has evolved from the human mind. If we train this mind to have a sense of shame and a fear of wrong-doing, we will then be restrained, we will be cautious...

　　"This will condition us to be content with little, with few wishes, because we can”t possibly look after a lot. When this happens our sati becomes stronger. We will be able to maintain sati at all times. Wherever we are we will make the effort to maintain thorough sati. Caution will be developed. Whatever you doubt don”t say it, don”t act on it. If there”s anything you don”t understand, ask the teacher. Trying to practice every single training rule would indeed be burdensome, but we should examine whether we are prepared to admit our faults or not. Do we accept them

　　"

　　This teaching is very important. It”s not so much that we must know every single training rule, if we know how to train our own minds.

　　"All that stuff that you”ve been reading arises from the mind. If you still haven”t trained your mind to have sensitivity and clarity you will be doubting all the time. You should try to bring the teachings of the Buddha into your mind. Be composed in mind. Whatever arises that you doubt, just give it up. If you don”t really know for sure then don”t say it or do it. For instance, if you wonder, "Is this wrong or not

　　" -- that is, you”re not really sure -- then don”t say it, don”t act on it, don”t discard your restraint."

　　As I sat and listened, I reflected that this teaching conformed with the eight ways for measuring the true teaching of the Buddha: Any teaching that speaks of the diminishing of defilements; which leads out of suffering; which speaks of renunciation (of sensual pleasures); of contentment with little; of humility and disinterest in rank and status; of aloofness and seclusion; of diligent effort; of being easy to maintain... these eight qualities are characteristics of the true Dhamma-vinaya, the teaching of the Buddha. anything in contradiction to these is not.

　　"If we are genuinely sincere we will have a sense of shame and a fear of wrongdoing. We will know that if there is doubt in our mind we will not act on it nor speak on it. The Silanidesa is only words. For example, hiri-ottappa [12] in the books is one thing, but in our minds it is another."

　　Studying the Vinaya with Venerable Ajahn Mun I learned many things. As I sat and listened, understanding arose.

　　So, when it comes to the Vinaya I”ve studied considerably. Some days during the Rains Retreat I would study from six o”clock in the evening through till dawn. I understand it sufficiently. All the factors of apatti [13] which are covered in the Pubbasikkha I wrote down in a notebook and kept in my bag. I really put effort into it, but in later times I gradually let go. It was too much. I didn”t know which was the essence and which was the trimming, I had just taken all of it. When I understood more fully I let it drop off because it was too heavy. I just put my attention into my own mind and gradually did away with the texts.

　　However, when I teach the monks here I still take the Pubbasikkha as my…

《Food for the Heart》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…