..续本文上一页n, know and experience for themselves that unsurpassed culmination of the religious life for the sake of which a person of good family rightly goes forth from the homelife into homelessness. Let alone seven years -- six years; let alone six years -- five years . . . a fortnight; let alone a fortnight -- in seven days they will know and experience this for themselves."

　　 (D.III,55)

　　The Buddha offers us the possibility of realising spiritual liberation. This is sometimes referred to as the "culmination of the religious life", because it is the ultimate Truth, and realisation of Truth is the principle purpose of human life.

　　This must be realised by each one of us for ourselves through practising the teachings, rather than merely studying or worshipping them. In order to realise this most people require instruction, and some leave the security and confines of the homelife to be able to explore wider possibilities to the greatest extent.

　　The Buddha did not offer teachings to people depending upon their class, status or intelligence; he chose those who showed the important qualities of integrity and earnestness -- the fundamental basis for true spiritual endeavour. Integrity is that openness and truthfulness to see things clearly, while earnestness is that perseverance and commitment which keeps us penetrating ever deeper into Truth, in spite of all the obstacles.

　　The Buddha has tremendous confidence in human beings” ability to put his teachings into practice and realise the Truth of liberation in this very life -- whether in seven years or in seven days!

　　2. "Nibbana, though very subtle and fine, is not hard to obtain for one intent upon the goal, who is skilled in mind and of gentle manner, and who practises the moral conduct of the Buddha." (Thera.vv71)

　　"Nibbana, as taught by the fully Enlightened One, is indeed the highest happiness: the sorrowless, stainless peace, wherein suffering is dissolved." (Thera.vv227)

　　The Buddha”s teaching directs us to nibbana, something difficult to describe but within reach of every inpidual. Out of respect for the lofty heights of spiritual truth, we frequently push the goal out of the realm of human possibility. But the very existence of people who have practised and realised the teachings, as these quotations from some of the Buddha”s disciples demonstrate, are an emphatic reminder that nibbana is realisable by the honest and persevering inpidual following the teachings of the Buddha.

　　Nibbana is something exceptionally pleasant and worthwhile, whether it is expressed positively as "the highest happiness", or neutrally as "the sorrowless, stainless peace", or negatively as "wherein suffering is dissolved". And it can be realised in this life -- like human happiness, nibbana can be realised here and now.

　　3. "Bhikkhus, all is burning. And what is the all that is burning

　　The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-consciousness is burning, eye-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning.

　　Burning with what

　　 Burning with the fire of lust, with the fire of hate, with the fire of delusion; I say it is burning with birth, ageing, death, with sorrow, with lamentation, with pain, with grief, with despair.

　　The ear is burning, sounds are burning, . . .

　　The nose is burning, odours are burning, . . .

　　The tongue is burning, flavours are burning, . . .

　　The body is burning, tangibles are burning, . . .

　　The mind is burning, mind-states are burning, mind-consciousness is burning, mind-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with mind-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning.

　　Burning with wha…

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