..续本文上一页illfullness of the heart.

　　The transformation process into earth, water, air and fire will then be vividly seen every time one investigates it. This repeated experience strengthens the heart, familiarizes it with the truth of the elements and enables it steadily to uproot the view that they are ”me” or ”mine”. For that”s how things really are — this body is made up of elements, when one talks in terms of elements, or it”s the earth element. It is not ”me” or ”mine” as one”s various opinions and imaginings like to impute and depict.

　　Repeated investigations will steadily deepen your insight until you are able clearly to comprehend and detach yourself from seeing the body as ”me” and ”mine”. Then there will be merely the body, and we can also say that even that”s only a label. We could also call it a conditioned phenomenon, if we wanted to. Once this is sufficiently understood, nothing can pose a problem any more. Whatever the heart may call it, it won”t make any difficulties, because the problem has always lain solely within the heart.

　　Our problems have to be dealt with by disengaging from fantasy and delusion, and by entering into the truth of Dhamma. This is that ”bare awareness” of the ”bare elements”. We might designate body but that”s just the bare elements. Turning in towards the heart is bare awareness. We then have the two as the bare truth. Alright then, if feeling springs up let it carry on, for it”s ”elemental” or a natural process6 similar to the body. This is how they are connected.

　　Perception or notions7 are concerned with knowledge of the heart”s engaging in thought concoctions. We know that it has gone out from the heart and is engaged in a particular thought fabrication or supposition. On becoming aware of this the heart will withdraw and perception will stop straight away. But if we are not aware it will continue on, connecting up with this... and that... in progression... like a chain... link to link. And it will only stop the moment that mindfulness catches up. For it will then cease to concoct concepts and associations of ideas. This is what is meant by mindfulness matching up — and if it can”t catch up with the train of thoughts, they will perpetually go on and on.

　　Investigating the body should become one of your major concerns. The Lord Buddha therefore taught the Four Foundations of Mindfulness that are all found within this body and mind. And this includes the Noble Truths. Yet what might be the purpose of all these investigations

　　 They are aimed at enabling the heart to understand the truth of the situation and thereby let go of its deluded attachment. It will then come up against this being-a-self.

　　So then, when our confused misconceptions concerning the four elements and the five aggregates are resolved, we must then turn to investigate the delusion of the heart. See! There is a problem remaining.

　　This level of delusion is more insidious due to the subtle nature of its defilements. We need to move in closer to examine and then decide what to use as the basis for this investigation. We are investigating the heart and the heart is naama-dhamma.8 So are feelings, defilements and wisdom itself, so it doesn”t just apply to the heart. Naama-dhamma”s are able to coexist and interrelate and this means that the defilements and the heart can associate together.

　　It”s wisdom then, that must do the probing for it too is a naama-dhamma. We must investigate in the same way as we did with the aggregates, by differentiating and analysing so as to see through to the true nature. Then we must put the heart in the dock and hit hard at the accused, the offender.9

　　The heart has gathered its offenses into itself and is conceited, thinking itself all-wise and all-knowing. It thinks it knows everything about this physical…

《To the Last Breath - 3· The Highest Blessing》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…