..续本文上一页 the heart that possesses the faculty of knowing, alone and by itself. Even if nothing makes contact with it, it doesn”t end.

　　Study these five aggregates — and do it exhaustively. Keep on going over it, revising and researching until you can understand. This is the field of work for anyone wanting to be rid of defilements and craving, by the demolishing of the cycle of birth and death.14 The heart spins through birth in various forms of existence, endlessly roving and reserving itself a place in cemeteries all over the place. The reservation is made even before death. This is all due to delusion — ignorance about the true nature of the aggregates. We grasp at more of them even though we already have a heap of them. There”s never enough, so we fall and catch hold of them without limit — unless, of course, wisdom can be called in to investigate.

　　Analyze and investigate so that you come to true knowledge and can therefore cut free the attachment. Take up the study of the elements and aggregates — or take this body, for therein lies the ”substance” of the Noble Truth and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. These are synonyms for the same thing and can (practically) replace each other in our investigations.

　　We will find that they are all essentially concerned with the Noble Truths and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Normally, without illness or disease, the body exists simply as the body, and form is still just form. However, when the body changes and becomes abnormal and disordered, it then follows its (new) natural course. The painful feeling that arises due to this irregularity does not remain for long and you should just let the heart know it for what it is. This is the way to study Aggregate-ology. Don”t be alarmed or frightened, or depressed with them; for this is their normal, inevitable course in the world.15 They have to follow a progressive transformation with both subtle, unnoticed changes and marked changes. They change in accordance with their nature — at every period, every second. But perhaps even a ”second” is too long a time, rather make it every instant, all the time. They just change, continually change. There is no pause, no taking time off for rest and sleep like animals and people do.

　　As for suffering, that also manifests itself constantly, without stopping for sleep or rest. People may take time off for leisure and recuperation but that doesn”t apply to the Noble Truths and ”the three marks”. They never stop, never ease off with anybody. They proceed along their course both day and night; with standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. The condition of these things is to turn through their changes. This body, too, revolves, as it changes its position and state. We sit for a little while and then an ache appears. Have things changed

　　 Well, if they haven”t what”s this pain doing here

　　This ache is called painful feeling. It is one sort of condition that arises in our awareness, one aspect of the Noble Truths. Examine it and see it as it really is, for in the last resort there”s no alternative. To think that you can depend on some other person is a misreading of the situation. Something that will drain your resolve, leaving you weak and disheartened in the task of saving yourself. Such wrong understanding or misapprehension comes from the defilement”s subversive insinuations, constantly deceiving you. This happens both in normal times and in times of sickness and emergency, cutting the ground from under your feet by means of their trickery.

　　When the final time is really drawing near, it is like a boxer in the ring. Before climbing into the ring the trainer can teach and instruct, but once in the ring there is no way to teach anything more. Right or wrong, good or bad, alive or dead — you now have to rely…

《To the Last Breath - 6· The Final Night — Fare Thee Well》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…