..续本文上一页e the entire path is universal, non-sectarian. If a name is added, whose will it be

　　 It will be that of a Supreme Being or a god or goddess or Allah or a brahma or a saint, or a guru, in whom one has devotion. Every society, every religion, every community has devotion in some ideal person-a god or goddess or a brahma or a saint-that is limited to that particular community. If a name from a particular religion is recited, the followers of other religions will refuse to use it. Therefore, it will not be universal. Similarly any shape or form that is added will be from a particular religion or community and will not be universal. Therefore, if one wants to keep this technique universal one should not add any word or shape.

　　But observation of respiration is universal. Everyone can observe breath. Whether a person is Hindu or Buddhist or Jain or Muslim or Sikh or Parsi or Jewish, he can easily observe breath without any hesitation. The entire path of Dhamma is universal; it is not the path of any particular organised religion.

　　Sometimes, a student who comes for meditation says, "I will not add any word or the shape of any god or goddess or saint or anyone related to any religion. When the breath comes, I will only say ”coming” and when the breath goes out, I will only say ”going”. There is no religion involved in this. If I add any word, my work becomes easier. What is wrong with this

　　"

　　I explain that gradually this ”coming, going” will become a mantra and the mind will become immersed in it and will lose awareness of the breath. By the practice of observation of respiration, one gains much knowledge about the body and the mind. Therefore it is absolutely essential to maintain awareness of pure breath without adding anything to it. If it is coming in, one understands it is coming in; if it is going out, one understands it is going out. If the mind wanders, as soon as you become aware, "Oh, my mind has wandered", start again. Our work is to bring the mind back to the breath. The mind will wander repeatedly, it has to be brought back again and again. One will have to exert a lot of effort. But many truths pertaining to the self will be revealed automatically as one keeps observing the bare breath. If one concentrates the mind with the help of any other object it will get concentrated easily, but progress on the path will stop. One will neither be able to know the truth about oneself nor be able to investigate the entire body and mind.

　　At first, it will seem that respiration is merely a physical mechanical process. The breath comes in and goes out because of the working of the lungs. Respiration is related to the body, but what relationship does it have with the mind

　　 We want to understand not only the body but also the mind and the negativities that arise in the mind. As one continues to observe respiration, one begins to understand that it is related not only to the body, but also to the mind and the mental negativities. While observing the breath, a thought will arise, and related to it, a negativity will arise. One may recall some past incident, "He said this, he did this"-and anger may arise, or other negativities like lust or fear may arise. If one observes carefully one finds that the breath loses its natural rhythm, it becomes slightly fast, slightly heavy. As soon as the negativity passes away, the breath again becomes natural.

　　One has to understand these truths about the mental negativities so that one can eradicate them at the root. If one forgets the breath and the mind becomes immersed in some word, how can one know the truth about the body and the mind

　　 Therefore, one should not add any word or shape or form. One observes only the breath, as it comes in, as it goes out, observing it objectively. One finds that the mind is becoming concentrated, though with some difficulty. In addition, the mind is also getting purified and getting liberated from negativities, to some extent. But if the work of purification of the mind is stopped, if the mind is not getting liberated from negativities, how can one reach the goal of full liberation from all negativities

　　So along with concentration of mind, one should purify the mind. If the mind is becoming free from negativities, it will bring happiness, it will bring peace, it will bring liberation. One has to make the mind free not only from thoughts, but also from negativities. This will lead to real happiness, real peace, real liberation.

《The Importance of Self-Observation》全文阅读结束。