..续本文上一页 paññā.” Give a good example to people. Whenever you talk with somebody who is not on the path, speak with compassion, not ego. Never think you are superior and others are ignorant. Our job is to help people as we were helped by this technique—to share our happiness with others.
The best way to encourage people to come to this path is to give them a good example. Let them see that here is somebody on the path of Vipassana, living so peacefully, with love, compassion and goodwill for others. Your example will be beneficial to you because you are progressing on the path by living such a life; at the same time, so many others will be attracted to the Dhamma. Have compassion, and remember your dual responsibility: “I must progress on the path and also encourage others to come to the path and progress on it.”
You progress only when you maintain your practice morning and evening. If you take courses, whether of ten, twenty or even thirty days, but miss your daily meditation, you will not really benefit. A course ought to strengthen your practice, your understanding of Dhamma at the experiential and intellectual level. But only applied Dhamma will give real benefits. If you do not practise morning and evening every day, you will notice that real progress is missing. Morning and evening sittings are very important.
Also, throughout the day, from time to time examine how you deal with situations you encounter. Are you able to handle them better than before
The more you find you are progressing on the path, the more you will be encouraged to practise. If you find that there is no improvement, either you have stopped practising or you are not practising properly.
I repeatedly warn students that Vipassana is not intended for the enjoyment of pleasant sensations, but despite my advice some of them make that their aim. They think, “I must get a free flow of very pleasant vibrations. If I am not getting it, I am not progressing.” They are completely wrong. The equanimity you have developed is the measure of your progress. The Buddha explained: “To dig out the stock of your saṇkhāras of craving, make use of the pleasant sensations; to dig out the saṇkhāras of aversion, make use of your unpleasant sensations.” Both types of sensation are equally important as tools to help us eradicate the deep-rooted saṇkhāras that we have accumulated. If you ignore this advice and instead feel depressed with gross sensations and elated with pleasant ones, you are simply repeating what you have been doing your whole life and for so many lives. In the name of Vipassana, you have started playing the same game. How can you progress
Keep in mind that equanimity is most important for you. The type of sensation you feel does not matter. Whenever a deep-rooted saṇkhāra comes to the surface, it will produce a particular type of sensation, but don”t assume that every sensation you feel is because of a saṇkhāra. When you are meditating, it is true that most of the sensations are because of saṇkhāras, but there are many other causes for sensations to arise. Whatever the cause, if a sensation occurs and you don”t generate a new saṇkhāra, the purpose is served: naturally the old accumulated stock will start to come up to the surface of the mind and be eradicated.
Understand this and work intelligently, diligently. Keep progressing in Dhamma. See that the Dhamma continues from generation to generation. Dhamma should continue to serve people for centuries, and that is possible only if you, the torchbearers, are strong in Dhamma, established in Dhamma, good examples of Dhamma.
Maintain Vipassana”s pristine purity. It does not matter if somebody else has started defiling it, polluting it. But those who are on the path and those who have understood the importance of this purity should maintain this pristine purity for their own good and also for the good of future generations. If you start polluting the technique, then there is no chance of it being maintained for a very long time. Others may do whatever they wish, but at least one stream, one flow of pure Dhamma, must continue. People will understand the difference between the two and this will help for generation after generation.
A big responsibility rests on you. Keep the purity of Dhamma. Keep the torch of Dhamma shining. Remain strong in Dhamma yourself. Be a good example to others. May all of you live a very happy, pure, Dhamma life. May all of you encourage many others to come on the path and live a pure Dhamma life.
May all be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.
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