..续本文上一页e are our own refuge, not needing to depend on anything else.”

　　As is the Buddha so is Dhamma and Sangha. Buddha Dhamma Sangha are the same. When one has reached this stage there”s no need to go out seeking to pay respects to the Lord Buddha, for we can now offer this purity of heart — the whole Dhamma of this purity — as our puja-offering to him. Nothing else intermeshes and fits together as well. As is the Buddha of the Lord Buddha so is the Buddha of us. As is that Dhamma, so this Dhamma here. Without doubt, they are all one and the same.

　　Did the Lord Buddha finally pass away16 so long ago

　　 We no longer ask, because this concerns the conditioned state of elements, the body and aggregates. The Lord merely let go of his aggregates, at a certain time, in a certain year and place. The Noble Disciples were just the same. Were they all completely annihilated after they passed away

　　 Is it really like that

　　 This is the view of empty, worthless men and women; the truth is otherwise. The real Dhamma is that of supreme happiness,17 which endorses and confirms the fruit of that purity.

　　What is Sangho

　　 It is the one who upholds the state of purity. This is the true sangho and is found within ourselves: "Attaahi attano naatho" — ”oneself is one”s own protector”. The vital point is to make this refuge sufficiently secure, for it”s imperative that the heart frees itself from all dangers and attains to deliverance. Whatever is worth attaining is worth striving for. Go for it right here.

　　Don”t upset yourself over anything at all. Nothing really matters in this world. It”s just that our heart goes and gets involved. We actually go looking for affairs to indulge our-self in, and this needs cutting away with mindfulness and wisdom.

　　Wherever we are, we are always alone. We are born alone. When illness comes, it isn”t the assembled relatives that are in pain. When we die, we die alone — nobody else can die in our place or deputize for our distress. Therefore, we must help ourselves — Attaahi attano naatho — using our own mindfulness and wisdom. This is the right and most fitting response.

　　The Lord Buddha decided to let go of his life on this same full moon day. For us today, we should resolve to abandon craving and defilements. These are the essential things that one must be rid of.

　　As far as dying is concerned, the Lord Buddha said it wasn”t important which day we die on. Whenever the breath runs out, that is the day we die. The only criterion is our last breath. If there”s still breath, then we haven”t yet died. So we keep on breathing... which in itself is no great problem. It”s really just about a lot of wind.

　　The important point is the founding of a base and the putting ourselves on alert — all for the sake of our heart. "Attaahi attano naatho": ”oneself is one”s own protector”. When this is accomplished then there is contentment in living or dying, wherever and whenever it might take place. No more problems remain, for they were only concerned with mundane conditions.

　　That”s it for this talk on Dhamma. I think it”s suitable to stop here.

　　Notes

　　1. Maagha Puuja is the national holiday in Thailand dedicated to the Sangha Jewel. (Visaakha Puuja in May and AAsaalha Puuja in July are for the Buddha and Dhamma.)

　　2. "bhaaraa have panyca khandhaa"

　　3. ariya saavakaa

　　4. Visuddhi Uposatha

　　5. Dhammapada, vv: 183 and 185

　　6. paaramii

　　7. anupaadisesa-nibbaana.

　　8. sammuti

　　9. visuddhi

　　10. Visuddhi Dhamma

　　11. See Glossary.

　　12. Maara usually personified as the Evil One, or tempter. And here referring to misleading, evil thoughts.

　　13. akaaliko

　　14. Pali language is examined in just nine grades.

　　15. A play on the word ek or eka, which in Thai can mean: ”highest” or ”first” (as in Ph.D.); ”one” or ”singular” (as in ”one eye” and ”One Dhamma”) so eka-grade, eka-eye, and Eka Dhamma.

　　16. parinibbaana

　　17. parama.m sukha.m

《To the Last Breath - 5· Letting Go (Magha Puja Day)》全文阅读结束。