Dhamma Is To Be Practised

　　- by S. N. Goenka

　　(The following is a translation of an article originally published in the April 1998 issue of the Vipaśhyanā Patrikā. It is adapted from the first in a series of 44 public talks broadcast on Zee TV.)

　　Dhamma-loving gentlemen and ladies,

　　Come, let us understand what is Dhamma

　　 What is the pure nature of Dhamma

　　 What is the universal nature of Dhamma

　　 What is the quintessence of Dhamma

　　 If one does not understand the essence of Dhamma, how can one practise it properly

　　 If one does not practise it, how can one derive benefit from Dhamma

　　 Without practice, Dhamma will only remain a subject of intellectual discussion, debates and arguments. At the most it will become a subject of intellectual entertainment. We shall remain deprived of the benefits of Dhamma.

　　Dhamma is Dhamma only if one practises it. What should one practise

　　 For this, it must first be clearly understood what Dhamma is. The simple definition of Dhamma is: the development a pure mind. The development of an impure mind is anti-Dhamma. Wherever there is Dhamma, there is happiness, peace and contentment. Where there is no Dhamma, there is only sorrow, agitation, restlessness.

　　When the mind becomes pure, the conduct of that pure mind is wholesome, virtuous. It causes benefit to oneself and to others. This is called sīla. It results in happiness to oneself and as well as to others. It brings good fortune, peace and harmony to oneself and also to others. If we practise pure Dhamma, there is not only happiness but also good fortune. Otherwise when the mind becomes impure, it is afflicted by defilements. Craving and clinging, aversion and hatred, anger and jealousy, lust and arrogance arise in the mind. The mind becomes very impure.

　　The conduct of an impure mind can cause only unhappiness because of its unwholesome conduct. It is the cause of sorrow to oneself and to others. Not only do we suffer but we distribute our suffering to others. The conduct of an impure mind will produce only suffering, sorrow and anguish. Forgetting this simple explanation of Dhamma, people get entangled in rituals and wrongly consider them as Dhamma: they consider some fast as Dhamma, they consider some festival as Dhamma, they consider some ceremony as Dhamma, they consider a particular attire, social custom, philosophical belief as Dhamma. The real meaning of Dhamma is not understood at all. And without understanding its meaning, one cannot apply Dhamma in life. And if Dhamma is not being applied in our lives and is not reflected in our conduct, we are only deceiving ourselves in the name of Dhamma.

　　When Dhamma is applied in our lives, applied in our conduct, only then is it beneficial. Otherwise if Dhamma remains the Dhamma of books, religious scriptures, and discourses like this one and is neither applied in one”s life nor reflected in one”s conduct, it is a great misfortune. If we practise Dhamma there is peace and harmony in our lives. But if we do not practise Dhamma, if it only remains a subject of discussion, how can we get any peace or harmony

　　A great saint of India said­

　　"Kathai, badai, suṇai saba koī; kathai, badai, suṇai sab koī."

　　"Kathai" people talk so much, they have become addicted to talking. They will talk so much about Dhamma. "Badai" those who speak have become addicted to speaking. They speak much about Dhamma. And "suṇai" those who listen have become addicted to listening. They keep listening to Dhamma talks. But just talking, just listening does not help.

　　By talking, by listening, inspiration should arise. By talking, by listening, one should gain guidance and then one should start walking on the path of Dhamma. If one starts walking step-by-step, one is practising Dhamma. If one does not pra…

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