..续本文上一页rmed kusala kammapatha, wise policies or clean actions. They are policies that should be adopted and followed — the more constantly, the better. Defilements related to greed will die away; those related to anger and delusion won”t have a chance to arise. Greed arises from the thought of coveting — the focusing of desire — which is then expressed as greed in one”s thoughts, words, and deeds. One”s thoughts thus become restless and disturbed; one”s words and deeds, unwise and defiled. As for anger, it arises from ill will, which then gives rise to hostility and finally to anger, fury, and violence. One”s thoughts, words, and deeds thus become unwise and defiled. Delusion arises from wrong views, from ignorance of right and wrong, good and evil, making one”s thoughts, words, and deeds unwise and defiled.

　　So you should kill these things off at their source. Kill off covetousness by sharing your possessions with others — with your children, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends, monks, nuns, and recluses — which in the long run will be to your own benefit. This is termed generosity (dana). Kill off ill will by developing thoughts of benevolence, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity; and avoid detrimental actions by observing the precepts (sila). Kill off wrong views by associating with people who are knowledgeable and wise, learning from them so as to develop your own insight and discernment. This is termed mental development (bhavana).

　　These are the techniques for curing greed, anger, and delusion. Covetousness, ill will, and wrong views are the tap roots of defilement; greed, anger, and delusion are the crown. The thoughts, words, and deeds that express these qualities form the trunk and branches, and the fruit is pain: the pain of birth, aging, illness, and death; of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. Normally, when we”ve eaten the flesh of a fruit, if we don”t destroy the seed, it will have a chance to sprout and form another tree. So it is with defilement: If we don”t destroy the seed, it will produce more fruit. Thoughts that fasten and cling: These are the seed. People who don”t realize this, imagine this fruit to be something tasty and delicious, and so are unwilling to abandon and destroy covetousness, greed, ill will, and wrong views. As a result, they spin around in this cycle in various ways, under the influence of these three sorts of defilement. When these defilements arise in full force, whatever status one may have will be shattered, whatever wealth one has will be lost, the good opinion of others will turn to censure, one”s happiness will turn to misery, one”s friends will flee, and one”s family will fall apart — or even if it doesn”t fall apart, it will be pained with sorrow, as if its heart had been scalded with boiling water.

　　So we should kill off these defilements by being generous with our belongings; by observing the five precepts, the eight precepts, or the ten guidelines; and by practicing concentration to develop the mind, making it firm, unwavering, and still. Once these defilements die, then even if you”ve never had wealth, you”ll be wealthy; even if you”ve never reached heaven, you”ll attain it, constant and unchanging, in line with the Buddha”s verse on the rewards of the five precepts:

　　silena sugatim yanti

　　Through virtue they go to heaven.

　　silena bhoga-sampada

　　Through virtue wealth is attained.

　　silena nibbutim yanti

　　Through virtue they go to liberation —

　　secure happiness, free from all suffering and stress.

　　tasma silam visodhaye

　　Thus we should all purify our virtue.

　　* * *

　　Question: At what times should the five precepts, the eight precepts, and the ten guidelines be observed

　　Answer: The five precepts and ten guidelines should be observed at all times — without any reference t…

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