Buddhist Way

　　by

　　Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

　　(Phra Suddhidhammaransi Gambhiramedhacariya)

　　Translated from the Thai by

　　Thanissaro Bhikkhu

　　What follows is a discussion of the Buddhist way, a way discovered by a human being whom large numbers of people have respected and praised as being a worthy person who has shown us the way as well. When we study his teachings, we are free to believe them or not, as we see fit; the man who discovered them never laid down any rules coercing us in any way.

　　When a group of people sees that a doctrine can lead them to become good and they give that doctrine their respect and adherence, it is said to be their religion. As for the religion or doctrine of the Buddha, it can be summarized in three points.

　　1. We should refrain from doing anything at all in thoughts, word, or deed that would be evil or destructive, that would cause suffering to ourselves or to others. Even if we find ourselves already doing such things, we should make an effort to stop.

　　2. We should develop within ourselves all qualities that we know to be good and virtuous, maintaining the virtues we already have - this is called arakkha-sampada - and constantly aiming at developing the virtues we haven”t yet been able to acquire.

　　3. Whatever activities we may engage in, we should do so with purity of heart. We should make our hearts pure and clean. If we can”t keep them that way constantly, we”re still doing well if we can make them pure from time to time.

　　All three of these points are the aims of the Buddha”s teachings.

　　The Buddha taught in line with the true nature of the world. He said, "Khaya-vaya-dhamma sankhara, appamadena sampadetha," which means, "All sankharas, once they have arisen, decay by their very nature. Don”t be heedless or complacent. Be thoroughly mindful and completely self-aware, and you will attain peace and security."

　　What this means is this: All things that appear in the world arising from actions (kamma) are called sankharas - fabrications, fashionings, compounded things. Sankharas, by their nature, or of two sorts - sankharas on the level of the world and sankharas on the level of the Dhamma.

　　1. "Sankharas on the level of the world" refers to the eight ways of the world: status, fortune, praise, and pleasure, which are things to which we all aspire but - sankharas being what they are, unstable and inconstant - results of another sort may interfere: Having had status, we may lose it. Having had forune, we may lose it. Having been praised, we may be criticized. Having tasted the pleasure that come from material wealth, we may become needy and destitute, afflicted with suffering and pain. Therefore the Buddha taught us not to be heedless as to be deluded by these things. If we can”t keep this point in mind, we”re sure to suffer.

　　2. "Sankharas on the level of the Dhamma" refers to the properties (dhatu), aggregates (khandha), and sense media (ayatana) that lie within us and that result from unawareness and the sankharas concocted by the mind giving rise to dhamma-sankharas on the outer level.

　　a. Dhatu: The properties that are fashioned into sankhara of the level of the Dhamma are six -

　　(1) The solid or dense components of the body, such as bones, muscle, and skin, are called the earth property.

　　(2) The liquid aspect, such as the blood, permeating throughout all parts of the body, is called the water property.

　　(3) The forces, such as the in-and-out breath, that flow through the body are called the wind property.

　　(4) The aspect that gives warmth to all the parts of the body is called the fire property.

　　(5) The empty spaces in the body, where the other properties can move, enter, and leave, the passages that permit air to enter and leave, and allow us to move - such as the ear canal, the nas…

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