Transcription
The second day of practice is complete. The second day is complete. Now there are eight more days left to work. The second day is a little better than the first day, but there are still difficulties. After all, the mind has to be controlled, right? It is not very easy. This monkey-like mind, this restless mind, how fickle, how agile. It leaves one branch, it grabs another, it leaves one, it grabs another. It leaves one thought, another begins. It leaves that, a third begins. How restless it is. How agitated it is. It is wild. To tame it, one must work with great patience. If a wise person tames a wild animal, they work with great wisdom and great patience. In haste, they will not be able to control the animal. If they work with great patience, they will indeed tame it. Whether it is a wild buffalo or a wild elephant, it does not come under control easily. A very experienced person brings it under control with great patience, with great patience. If that same wild animal enters a human settlement, how much chaos it would create, how much damage it would cause, and if that same wild animal comes under control, it becomes a slave to humans, a servant. That wild elephant whose entire strength was so dangerous to us. Now, after becoming domesticated, all its strength is engaged in our service. Similarly, as long as our mind is wild, all its strength is very dangerous to us, causing harm. And if it comes under control, if it becomes domesticated, then all its strength, which was so harmful to us, will be engaged in our service. It will become the cause of our well-being. And the strength of the mind is not ordinary. It causes many times more harm than the strength of a large elephant, it provides many times more benefit, it causes many times more. This is what we have come to do: how to bring our wild, uncontrolled mind under control, how to tame it, how to engage all its strength in our well-being. Patience, great patience. The practitioner becomes impatient. Look, two days have passed, and the mind still doesn't settle. Or later, five days have passed, look, it still doesn't settle, it still doesn't settle. It becomes restless. Then one should understand, "Ah, this has been my old habit. When things don't go as I wish, I become restless. When something undesirable happens, I become restless. This was my nature. I am nurturing this very nature. Now I have started doing it in the name of practice." I want to achieve concentration, and if concentration is not achieved, then it is not as I wished, right? So I become restless. "Alas, two days have passed. My mind hasn't settled at all." "Two days have passed. My mind hasn't settled at all." The nature of becoming restless is what we have come to change. The nature of being restless is what we have come to change. And we have started to promote it. One should understand thoroughly. Whenever you see restlessness arising, for whatever reason it arises. It arises because the mind has wandered. It arises because the mind doesn't settle. It arises because of repentance over some bad thoughts that arose in the mind. Or some memory comes up that makes one anxious. As explained yesterday, all practice is like an operation. So, as the operation proceeds, impurities will rise from the depths of the inner mind. They will surface and manifest. So, wherever an unpleasant sensation begins, one gets scared and becomes restless. Then one should immediately become aware. I have not come to be restless. I have come to be free from restlessness. At this moment, the mind is not concentrated. At this moment, the mind has wandered. This is the truth of this moment. Just accept this truth. "My mind has wandered at this moment." Don't consider it bad. Don't get angry towards it. Even if you get angry at yourself. If you get angry, you will become restless. The truth is as it is. The mind has wandered. Then bring it back to the breath. The breath is there. Then start again. Then the mind wanders again. So the mind has wandered. Then become aware. Ah, it has wandered. Then, with a smile, bring it back to the breath. Don't cry, don't be restless. We have come to change that very nature. It is as it is. The mind has wandered. This is the truth. Just accept it. Then get back to work. And you will see that if you work with wisdom, if you don't become too restless, then you will see that you won't even have to strain to bring the mind back to the breath when it wanders. In the beginning, it will feel like the mind has wandered, and you have to pull it back. "Hey, where did you go? You were supposed to do this work." Then it will run away again, and you will pull it back again. And there is a tension in this pulling. Why pull? The mind has wandered. This is the truth of this moment. The mind has wandered. It will come back on its own. It will come back to the breath on its own. If the master of the house is awake, the thief will run away on his own. So this wandering of the mind will stop on its own. The master is awake. Ah, it has wandered, just know this, it will come back on its own. This will start to happen. Don't let sadness or despair arise over anything. Don't let restlessness arise. Does the breath pass through the left nostril or the right nostril? Ah, I don't know clearly. Good. I don't know clearly. This is the truth of this moment. Why be restless? Try breathing a little faster. You will start to know. Why restlessness? I was told, "Where does it touch? Where does it touch?" I didn't even feel it touching. Okay, if you didn't feel it, accept this truth that you don't know where the breath is touching. Then try breathing a little faster. If you work with great patience, with equanimity, without restlessness, then the work will become easy. The more impatient you are, the more restless you are, the more difficult you will find the work. You don't feel the breath touching, and you become restless. A restless mind is a very gross mind. When restlessness subsides, a calm mind naturally becomes subtle. It becomes subtle, and therefore sensitive. Then you will easily feel the breath touching. And the more you increase your restlessness to feel the breath touching, the more you erect walls for yourself. You won't be able to move forward. So, with great wisdom and great patience, the person who works with more patience will achieve success sooner, and the more impatient they become, the more difficulties they will create for themselves. Understand this thoroughly. Whatever undesirable things are happening, when you sit down to practice, accept them as they are. Until now, whatever was unpleasant, you experienced it, you suffered it. "This pain came, that pain came, alas, I am dying, this difficulty has arisen, what kind of practice is this?" Crying and crying. Now, come out of that suffering state and enter the state of a witness, a detached observer. "This is happening, we are not affected by it. This is happening, we are aware of it." The state of suffering will gradually diminish. The state of the observer, the detached state, will gradually progress. And the state of the doer will also gradually diminish. "We are not doing anything. It is happening on its own. What are we doing? An event is unfolding on its own." And as we progress further, a state will come where even the state of the observer will cease. There is only seeing. "I am seeing. An event is unfolding. I am seeing. I am knowing." That is a long way off. But it will become like that. It is being seen. An event is unfolding. It is being known. Even "I" will cease. Those are future states. But only when you understand this work well will those states come. First, come out of the state of suffering. Gradually, come out of the state of the doer as well. An event is unfolding. I am knowing it. For now, that's all. I am knowing it. With the attitude of a witness, with a detached attitude. Start with this much. Then you will see that progress has become easy. One thing must be understood very well. The person who wants to walk the path of pure dharma. Pure dharma is that which is universal. The law of nature, the principle of the universe, the rules of nature that apply equally to everyone. In the ancient Indian language, it was called dharma-niyamata. It was called dharma. It is not different for Hindus. It is not different for Jains. It is not different for Buddhists. It is not different for Christians. It is not different for Indians. It is not different for Americans. It is the rule that governs everyone, everything, every atom. The law that every atom upholds. And that which upholds every atom. The principle of the universe that upholds every atom. The rule that governs everyone. That is what was called dharma in the Indian language. It is the same for everyone. So, a person walking the path of such universal dharma must understand one thing very well: "Brother, this path on which I have to walk, I have to walk it. I have to do all the effort to walk on it. If I don't work, if I don't strive, if I don't make an effort, and yet I am liberated, reach the state of liberation, get out of all sorrows, get out of all desires, aversions, and all impurities." This is not going to happen. It is impossible. If someone is under the illusion that "Someone will have mercy on me," "Someone will show compassion to me," and that compassion and mercy will liberate me, then they should think, "Why? Why would they liberate me? What is special about me?" "Do I flatter them by lying a lot? That's why they will liberate me." "Then why won't they liberate everyone? Everyone is suffering." They are not liberated. This means that every person has to work hard themselves. At most, what will happen, with great grace, with great compassion, is that someone will show the way. "This is the way, brother. Because I have walked this path." One who has walked will show. "I have walked this path. You also walk. You also walk. Walk step by step. At most, they will walk with you for a few steps, holding your finger." But no one will carry us on their shoulders to the state of liberation. This is not going to happen. The sooner a person comes out of this illusion, this delusion, the sooner the path of auspiciousness opens for them. The path of liberation opens sooner. This is true. This is also a law of nature, a dharma-niyamata, a law of nature that as soon as a person starts walking the path of dharma, all the powers of dharma will begin to help them. They will assist them. All visible and invisible powers will greatly help them. Yet, you have to walk yourself. One step, one step, one step, walking yourself, you will reach the final state. This is why it is said, "You yourself must do the penance." [Music] "Tathagata" means one who has become a Tathagata. One who has become enlightened, pure, liberated while living. What is a Tathagata? One who, by relying on reality, by relying on reality, has walked and walked and reached the final state, the state of liberation. That person has become a Tathagata. The entire path of dharma is walked by relying on reality, meaning walking by relying on truth. Not even a single step should be taken with the support of imagination. As soon as you take the support of imagination, you will get lost. You will stray from the path of liberation. Tathagata is that truth that is experienced by oneself. The truth that is experienced by someone else, we can only imagine it. How do we know it is the truth? So, moment by moment, moment by moment, whatever truth is experienced by us at any given moment, knowing that truth with the attitude of a witness, we will move forward. The next moment, whatever truth it brings, we will know it with the attitude of a witness. The next moment, whatever truth it brings, we will know it with the attitude of a witness. Thus, by walking with reality, anyone can become a Tathagata. Becoming a Buddha is not a monopoly of Siddhartha Gautama. It is repeatedly said that countless Buddhas existed before me, their number is unknown. Countless Buddhas will exist after me, their number is unknown. How can it be a monopoly of one person? A monopoly of knowledge, a monopoly of enlightenment, a monopoly of liberation, how can it belong to one person? It is a straightforward path of dharma. Whoever walks will reach. There are difficulties, certainly. Hard work is required. Much effort is required. And it has to be done by oneself. The penance that you have to do, you have to do it. If someone else does it, and you become liberated? I am thirsty. If someone else drinks water, how will my thirst be quenched? I am hungry. If someone else eats food, how will my hunger be satisfied? I am sick. If someone else takes medicine, how will my illness be cured? I am bound. I have tied knots. I am restless. And someone else walks on the path to freedom from restlessness. How will I be freed from restlessness? Such a simple matter, and we are entangled. We have become entangled in countless ways in the name of dharma. The sooner it is understood that I myself have to walk step by step on the path of dharma. I have to walk. The person who accepts this fact sooner and starts walking, then understand that they have found direction, the path, the method. Now they will keep moving forward. And those who remain waiting with the hope that "Someone will liberate me," "Someone will show mercy," "Someone will liberate me." They have wasted many lives, and they will waste this life in the same way. You have to walk yourself. First, this must be understood firmly, firmly. You have to walk yourself. An incident from the life of the Lord. At that time, there was a very large meditation center in Shravasti, in Jetavana Vihara, and Shravasti was a very populous city of India at that time. The capital of the Kosala country. Many people came here to learn. A large number of monks and nuns, a large number of householder men and women. The Lord taught this knowledge. In the evening, when there was a discourse on dharma, some people from the city would also come to listen to the dharma discourse. This has been a national disease of India. Whether we walk the path of dharma or not, we must listen to dharma discourse. It is good to listen to dharma discourse. There is no fault in listening to dharma discourse. We listen to dharma discourse. It awakens inspiration. It provides guidance, so that we may walk, but we don't walk. Some people also came for mere intellectual pleasure, for mere verbal pleasure. One brother came a little early one day. He saw the Lord sitting alone. He was very happy. He went near him, bowed, and said, "Lord, a question keeps arising in my mind. Many people are present, so I hesitate to ask. It's good that you are alone today. Please resolve my doubt." The Lord said, "In the field of dharma, one should not keep any doubt. It should be resolved immediately. Ask, what is the problem?" He said, "Lord, many years have passed. I come to this meditation center, and I observe the people who meditate here and walk this path, according to my understanding. So, I have seen, Lord, that a few people have indeed reached the state of complete liberation, have become Arhats, pure, Buddhas, liberated while living. It is clearly evident. And there are some people in whom there has been a great change. Great improvement has occurred. But they have not yet reached the final state. And Lord, there is a class, a section, to which I belong. In me, there has been no difference, Lord. I am the same as I was." So the doubt is, Lord, the question that arises in my mind is: "If someone comes to a great person like you, to a powerful person like you, to a compassionate person like you, and yet remains empty, incomplete, Lord? What kind of thing is this? Why don't you use all your power to liberate us? Why don't you liberate us with all your compassion?" The Lord smiled. He explained this every day. But some people just don't want to understand. They are so coated with attachments that they don't want to hear the truth. So he didn't understand. So he said, "Okay, I will explain it to you again." His ways of explaining were different. Sometimes, he would ask a counter-question to the person asking. So, he asked a counter-question to him as well. "Tell me, brother, where are you from?" "Lord, I am from Shravasti." "Oh no, no. Your face and demeanor suggest you are not from here. You are from some other region and have settled here." "You have said that correctly, Lord. Actually, I am from the Magadha country, from Rajgir. I have been living here for many years." "Good. So, has your entire connection with Rajgir been severed? Do you not go there?" "No, Lord. I go there frequently. My family members are still there. I have friends, relatives, business. I go there many times." "Good. So, you go from here to Shravasti to Rajgir so many times, you come and go. So, you must know the way from here to Rajgir very well." "Lord, I know it very well. I have traveled it so many times." "So, tell me one more thing. You have been living here for so many years. So, many people must have become your acquaintances. Among those many acquaintances, some must have become your close friends. Those who have become close friends must know at least this much: that you are not originally from here. You are originally from Magadha, from Rajgir, and have settled here, and you come and go frequently. Therefore, you know this path very well." "Those people know, Lord. Those who know me well also understand this very, very well." "So, brother, do some of them come to you sometimes to ask, 'Tell me, what is the way from here to Rajgir?'" "So, I tell them that it is a secret path." "What is there to keep secret? I explain it very well." "Go east, and keep walking, Varanasi will come, and then keep going, turn here, turn there, Gaya will come. Then keep going forward, and turn there, turn here, Rajgir will come. I explain it very well, Lord." "So, tell me one more thing. Those to whom you have explained, they must have reached Rajgir." "How would they have reached, Lord? We have explained the path. Now, if they walk on it, they will reach." "Oh, good man, this is exactly what I am saying. These many people who come to me, a crowd of crowds. They understand very well that this person knows the path to liberation very well. Because he has walked it. He has walked the path to liberation. He knows from his own experience. So they ask, poor things. I don't hide anything. I tell them with great love. This is the path. Walking step by step, this station will come, that station will come. You will have this experience, that experience. These difficulties will arise. I explain all these things. Now, if someone hears all this, bows their head three times, and says, 'Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. You have said very well.' But they don't walk, not even one step, then how will they reach, brother? How will they reach? If someone starts walking, even one step, they have reached one step closer to their goal. If they walk 10 steps, they are 10 steps closer. If they walk 100 steps, they are 100 steps closer. And the one who has measured the entire path by walking step by step, they have reached the goal. You have to walk. Even if someone shows you the way with great love, you have to walk. Every seeker, every seeker walking the path of dharma, must understand this very well. I have to walk. Who made my mind impure? I myself, right? In my state of ignorance, in my state of lack of knowledge, in my delusion and confusion, I tied knots. I corrupted the nature of my mind. I made it prone to attachment, tainted by aversion, filled with delusion. Who is responsible for this? What concern would some unseen power have to afflict the minds of all beings in the world with impurities and make them all miserable? Who cares? Why would anyone do it? Every person pollutes their own mind due to their own ignorance. So, the responsibility lies with them to awaken their knowledge, awaken their intellect, awaken their consciousness, and come out of this nature. To remove this dirt. To untie the knots they have tied. To remove the impurity they have accumulated. It is their responsibility. This is the law of nature. You cannot escape from this. You have to walk yourself. You have to walk yourself. When this is understood."
So that one will have to walk themselves. What is the second question, the path on which to walk? What is the path of Dharma? An old woman came to God. She asked, "Lord, please explain to me in a few words and in simple language, what is Dharma? What is the path to liberation?" She must have gone to many scholars who spoke very scholarly, philosophical things, which she couldn't understand, thinking, "What are they saying?" So God smiled, "Brother, Dharma is always explained in simple language. Dharma is taught to people so that they can adopt it. If they don't understand, how can they adopt it? The path of Dharma is taught so that one can walk on it. If they don't understand, how can they walk? So, a person who becomes a Buddha, who becomes pure, who becomes liberated, will always explain Dharma in very simple language, in the language of the people, in a way that people can understand." So he said, "Look, I always explain it like this. So I will explain it again." So what did he explain? In a few words, what did he say? "Avoid all evil deeds, cultivate good deeds, and purify your mind." [Music] "This is the teaching of all Buddhas." In old language, "Shiksha" (education) was called "Shasan" (teaching or discipline). It was called "Updesh" (instruction). If someone gave an instruction and we became bound by their discipline, if we started acting as they told us, it was called "Shasan." So, "Buddhan Shasan" means the teaching of not just one Buddha, but all Buddhas. If a person becomes a Buddha and starts talking about useless things instead of this, then one should understand that they have not yet become a Buddha. They are entangled in some philosophical web and are also entangling others. They are bound by some sectarian fence and are also binding others. They have not understood true Dharma. If they are a Buddha, they will say this. Nothing else. What will they say? "Avoid all evil deeds. Cultivate good deeds. Purify your mind." "Avoid all evil deeds." "Cultivate good deeds." "Purify your mind." "Purify your mind completely." There are many ways in which the upper part of the mind is purified. We can purify the upper part of our mind through intellect alone. That is good, that much benefit is gained. But that is not the path to liberation. Liberation will come only when the entire mind, down to the depths of the inner mind, without leaving any part, the entire mind is washed clean, becomes pure. This is "Paripurn" (complete) purification of the mind. Nothing else besides this. This is called complete and pure Dharma. It is complete in these three things: avoid evil deeds, engage in good deeds, and purify the mind. There is no need to add anything more to this. It is complete. If one just does this, they will reach the state of liberation. If one adds anything, they will spoil it. Nothing needs to be added. "Kevalam Paripurn" (only complete), "Keval Parishuddh" (only pure). Nothing can be removed from this. There is no flawed aspect that can be removed. If this part is removed, will Dharma become purer? There is nothing like that. The ultimate purity and completeness of Dharma are contained within these three things. Only then should one understand that it is pure Dharma. There is nothing else to do. "Sab Papas Ekam" (avoid all evil deeds). Avoid all kinds of evil deeds. What are evil deeds? Engage in all kinds of good deeds. What are good deeds? What is merit? What is sin? What is merit? The matter is very straightforward. But when this very thing becomes corrupted, becomes associated with a sect, it is a public matter. But when it gets attached to a sect, it gets spoiled. Then there are different definitions of what is merit, what is sin, what is Dharma, what is sin, and so on. Some people who do not understand Dharma correctly. So, a person who performs such external rituals, who puts on an outward show, is very religious. A person who does not do this is not religious. So, every sect has its own external rituals. So, a person who is called religious in this sect has this kind of external show. A person who is called religious in another sect has a different kind of show. That external show itself has become Dharma for them. True Dharma has been lost. If someone understands that, "What is the point of external shows, brother?" then they get entangled in something else. Some rituals of a particular sect are said, "Anyone who performs these rituals is religious, and anyone who does not perform these rituals is not religious." So, different sects have their own rituals. Whom to consider religious, whom not to consider religious? Then one gets confused. If someone comes out of this and says, "What is the point of these rituals?" then they get entangled in another great bondage, a very big bondage. Every sect has its own philosophical beliefs. Every philosophical belief establishes a sect. Every sect is entangled and bound by a philosophical belief. So, a person of this sect, who believes in this philosophical belief, will live their whole life in this darkness, thinking that all those who believe in this philosophical belief are religious, and those who do not believe in this philosophical belief, what do they have to do with Dharma? And different sects have different philosophical beliefs. One should just understand that this is not Dharma. Dharma is always one. It is one for everyone. Wherever it becomes different, one should understand that these are mere shells, outer shells, not the essence. The essence will always be one. So, what is sin? And what is merit? What are good deeds? What is sin? If a person, through their body, through their speech, does any action that causes harm to other beings, disturbs the peace and happiness of other beings, it is sin, sin. Similarly, if through their body, through their speech, they do an action that brings happiness and peace to other beings, removes their suffering, causes them no harm, brings them well-being, it is merit, merit. This applies equally to everyone. What evil deeds will one do with their body and speech? With speech, one will speak bitter words, false words, harsh words. With the body, one will kill, steal, commit adultery, indulge in intoxication, harm others, disturb the peace and happiness of others. Humans are social beings, and they have to live in society. Those who are householders have to live with their family members and people in society. Even those who have left their homes, become renunciates, still maintain contact with society. Where will they run away to? So, humans are social beings, and if they continue to do such things with their body and speech that disturb the peace of all the people around them, make all the people around them restless, then, brother, it is a straightforward matter that if I make all the people around me restless, disturbed, how will I find peace? If I set fire all around myself, will that heat not also burn me? How will I find peace and coolness? It is a very straightforward matter. If one has to live in society, then one has to follow those rules of society that maintain order and peace in society. This is a very superficial aspect of Dharma. But if one goes deeper, they will understand. If one starts to go a little deeper, they will begin to understand a lot, and they will begin to understand that I cannot harm any person, neither with my body nor with my speech, until I first harm myself. It is a strange thing. It is so. It is the law of nature. One cannot commit murder until one first awakens anger, hatred, ill will within oneself, and that too, very deeply. Only then will one commit murder. One cannot steal until one awakens greed. One cannot commit adultery until one awakens lust. Before committing all these evil deeds of body and mind, one has to awaken some kind of vice within the mind. And as soon as a vice is awakened, nature begins to punish. Nature begins to punish. The law of Dharma begins to punish. It is a rule. Go and see for yourself. If one commits murder and there is no anger within, no hatred, who will commit murder with a smile? If one steals, and greed does not awaken, if one commits adultery, how will lust awaken? A vice will awaken, and try it. If a vice awakens, do I not become restless? If a vice awakens within, and one does not look within, the external object becomes paramount, and one does not see within how much harm is being done to oneself. One's own harm is being done. This will become very clear as one walks on the path of Dharma. So, I should not do any action with my body and speech that is an evil deed, meaning, an action that disturbs the peace and happiness of others, causes pain to others. If I do not do such an action, I am not doing anyone a favor. I am doing myself a favor. If I don't do it, I don't make myself unhappy. Because I will first make myself unhappy, then I will make others unhappy. This will become very clear. It will become very clear. Then the purity of Dharma will become clear, that whoever commits any evil deed, any sinful deed by awakening vices in their mind, whether they call themselves Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Shudra, or Vaishya, it makes no difference. Whether they are Indian, Burmese, American, or Russian, it makes no difference. Whoever commits evil deeds with their body and speech by polluting their mind, nature itself punishes them immediately. This is the law of nature. This is pure Dharma. Similarly, do good deeds. What are good deeds? The greatest good deed is to learn to concentrate the mind without polluting it. The concentration of a pure mind is very beneficial. All good deeds will happen only when our mind is under our control. If the mind is not under control, we will only do evil deeds. And if the mind is under control and with vices, we will only do evil deeds. That concentration will not be useful. If one achieves concentration by making the mind pure, then only good deeds will happen. Only good deeds will happen. And thirdly, suppose we have purified the mind. We have purified it superficially. We have also concentrated it. But due to the habit of awakening vices for many lifetimes, in the depths of the inner mind, there are knots upon knots upon knots. How knotted have we become? The entire mind is knotted from within. Every fiber of the body is knotted. We don't look inside, do we? If we look, we will know how knotted I am. How restless I am. Until that is removed, even if one purifies their mind superficially a thousand times, even if one concentrates it, liberation will not be achieved. Liberation from suffering will not be achieved. Liberation from the roots of vices will be achieved. That day true liberation will be achieved. Therefore, "Paridapan" (complete purification) of the entire mind, free from vices, free from impurity. This is the third. In the language of those days, these three were called "Sab Papas Ekam" (avoid all evil deeds), meaning living a life of virtue and good conduct. "Kushalas Upsampada" (cultivate good deeds), meaning living a life of meditation. Practicing to control the mind by making it good. And "Sachitta Pariyopana" (purify your mind), meaning awakening such wisdom from one's own experience that no vice can remain in the depths of the inner mind, all of it is removed. So, virtue, meditation, wisdom. Virtue, meditation, wisdom. This is pure Dharma. Neither Buddhists, nor Hindus, nor Jains, nor Christians have a monopoly over this. It is equally beneficial for everyone, and every person can easily follow it. It is not necessary to be initiated into this sect first, to be bound by this fence, to start calling oneself by this name, only then can one walk on this path, and otherwise, even if one walks, there will be no benefit. First, one has to be bound by the fence, and then walk, and then there will be benefit. Such is not the case. So, understand that what is not Dharma is bondage. Somewhere, somewhere, it is a deception. Dharma is universal. One has to walk on this path with this understanding. And let's understand the path with a little more detail. It has been explained with a little more detail. Actually, a person walking on the path should understand the path in broad strokes. What kind of path is it, and where will it lead? If one does not understand this, there will be doubt in the mind. Where are we going? What are we doing? What will be the result? Doubt will remain, and one will not be able to work. Therefore, even if one understands it at the intellectual level, walking has to be done step by step, step by step. So, just as a person walks with a torch in hand, step by step, the place where one has to move forward should be illuminated. One should understand thoroughly. What kind of step is this? What about the next step? What about the step after that? Understanding each step in great detail, one will move forward. But let's understand a broad outline. What is the entire path? In the language of those days, this path to liberation, this path of purification, this path of universal Dharma, was called "Arayo Atthangiko Mago" - the Noble Eightfold Path. "Atthangiko" means having eight limbs. "Arayo" means noble. In what sense noble? That any ignoble person, anyone who is not noble, if they walk on this path, they will become noble by walking on this path. This path will not look at whether the person walking on this path calls themselves Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Brahmin, Shudra, American, or Russian. It will not look at anything. Just as the water of the Ganges quenches the thirst of whoever drinks it, similarly, this path is such that whoever walks on it will become noble. What will become noble? In 2500 years, language changes. Words change. The meanings of words change. Today, the word "Aryan" has come to be used for a specific race. A very tall person, with a long nose, big eyes, fair complexion, such a person is considered an Aryan. Someone with black skin, curly hair, thick lips, is considered of the Abyssinian race, the Negro race. Someone with yellow skin, small, squinting eyes, a flat nose, is considered of the Mongolian race. In this sense, the word "Aryan" has come to be used. In the Indian language of 2500 years ago, this meaning was not there. "Aryan" was used for a person, whether they were fair or dark, had a long nose or a short nose, it made no difference. That person who became a saint, who became a virtuous person, who became pure-minded, who became a good person, became an Aryan, because they walked on the path of Dharma. Walking on the path of Dharma, purifying their mind, opening the knots of their mind, becoming free from bondage, such a person became an Aryan. And one who does not walk on the path of Dharma is ignoble, mean, ignorant, foolish, one who does evil, who harms themselves and others. Such a person, in the language of those days, was called "Anariyo," "Anariyo," "Anariyo." Ignoble. In 2500 years, this word "Anary," "Anaray," "Anaray," changing, has become "Anadi" in today's Hindi language. "He is very foolish." What is "Anadi"? It is "Anarya." It is "Anari." "Anarya" has become "Anadi." He has no sense. What is he doing? He has no sense. He harms himself and others. In this sense, one who is foolish, who has no sense, who is deluded, who harms himself and others, such a person will become noble by walking on this path. They will become saints. In this sense, "Arayo Mago Atthangiko" - the eight-limbed path. What are the eight limbs of Dharma? Those three divisions: virtue, meditation, wisdom. So, under virtue, three limbs of Dharma came. Under meditation, three limbs of Dharma came. And under wisdom, the remaining two limbs of Dharma came. So, what three limbs came under virtue? "Samma Vacha," "Samma Kamantu," "Samma Ajivo." It is old language. "Samma" means right, correct, and something that is realized through one's own experience. "Samma Vacha" - our speech should be right, correct. What speech is right? That which is pure. What speech is pure? That which does not harm others. So, such speech should come to our experience that does not harm others. Meaning, the impurities of speech should be removed. How does speech become impure? If a person tries to deceive someone by speaking lies, the action of speech becomes impure. If a person speaks bitter, harsh words to hurt someone's feelings, without any good intention, just to hurt, speaks bitter words, the action of speech becomes impure. If a person hears something from here and adds a little spice to it and says it there, and hears something from there and says it here, thus gossiping, backbiting, if there is love and affection between two people, they break it. This is an evil deed of speech, it becomes impure. If a person wastes their time and others' time in useless, frivolous talk, the action of speech becomes impure. One who is saved from these four becomes pure, pure. "Samma Vacha" - speech becomes right on its own. So, avoid all evil deeds. How to avoid such actions of speech? "Samma Vacha," "Samma Kamo" - every action first awakens in the mind, moves forward, comes to speech, and from there moves to the body. So, "Kamantu" - our bodily actions should also be right, beneficial, for ourselves and for others. They should not be impure. So, what is the impurity of bodily actions? If a person kills another with their body, the action of the body becomes impure. If a person steals something that belongs to another with their body, snatches it, seizes it, claims it, appropriates it, the action of the body becomes impure. If a person commits adultery with their body, the action of the body becomes impure. If a person indulges in intoxication with their body, the action of the body becomes impure. All these actions that harm us and harm others, if we are saved from them, then it becomes "Samma," it becomes right, and it comes to right experience, it becomes beneficial. It is not just a matter of instruction, but it starts happening from one's own experience. Not killing, not stealing, not committing adultery, not indulging in intoxication, it starts happening from one's own experience. "Samma Kamo," "Samma Ajivo" - livelihood should also be right, pure, clean, and it should be reflected in life. It should not remain just an instruction. Every person has to take support of some livelihood to live. What kind of livelihood is it? It is more necessary for householders to be vigilant. Monks also have their rules about how they should receive what they get from householders. What are the rules for householders? What are the rules for householders? The way of income in our home, the money that comes from that way of income, what kind of way of income is it? Is it causing harm to others through that livelihood? Money is coming into our home, but is it causing harm to others? One should vigilantly see if I am causing harm to other people in society because of my livelihood. For example, a person says, "I do not indulge in intoxication. I am very virtuous. I do not indulge in intoxication." That is good. But if they do the business of alcohol, cannabis, opium, or bhang, then those who buy will indulge in intoxication. They will break their virtue and good conduct. So, have they not become an obstacle to people living a life of virtue and good conduct? Have they not become an aid to breaking their virtue and good conduct? So, harming them. Money came into my house.
However, how much harm have I caused. Similarly, someone says, "I do not commit murder." I do not murder, but I do business in weapons, guns, swords, spears, which will be used to kill someone. Oh, but you are encouraging others to break their character and morality; your livelihood is not righteous.
Someone might say, "I do not commit murder, but I raise livestock." I raise cows, sheep, goats. I feed them, fatten them up, and sell them to the butcher. "I do not commit murder." Let them do it. That is not right. It is not a righteous livelihood. A person says, "I do not commit murder; perhaps a butcher does." And he does business selling meat. So, he is encouraging them, isn't he? It is not a righteous livelihood. A person's livelihood is such that he deals in poison, in venom. Someone will take it, give it to someone, and kill them. Today, all those businesses that prevent other people from being virtuous, by means of which we become helpers in the breaking of their character, are not righteous livelihoods. Absolutely not a righteous livelihood. Sometimes this should also be understood. This is a matter of Dharma; it should be understood very well. On the surface, this work appears very pure. There is no fault in it. But if the consciousness of the mind is corrupted, then the same work will become not a righteous livelihood but a wrong livelihood.
Let me give an example. Years ago, when there was no knowledge of pure Dharma at all. Walking on that path was a distant matter. It was during those days. A member of a household fell very ill. Very ill. The family doctor was away. So, they called another doctor. They knew a famous doctor in Rangoon, but he wouldn't come if called. Still, they gathered courage and went, thinking they would somehow persuade him to come. The patient was very ill. He had a lot of patients. That day, by chance, he was sitting alone, swatting flies. No patients with him. So, the mind was happy that the doctor would come along. If there were many patients, he might not come. But out of curiosity, he asked, "Doctor, you usually have so many patients. What's the matter today? No crowd?" He said with a very sad face, "What can I say? In this season, some illness or the other always spreads in the villages and towns. This year, I don't know what happened, no illness has spread." "Oh, what kind of doctor are you? You want diseases to spread widely so that a lot of income comes to my house. You want to see people sick as much as possible." The livelihood is good. A doctor's livelihood is not bad. He earns his living by treating someone, curing them, and bringing them back to health. Isn't that good? It's not bad. But look at this doctor. Not all doctors are like this. But my experience at that time, seeing him, did not feel good in my heart. "What kind of doctor is this?"
A few years later, I became associated with pure Dharma. What does association with pure Dharma mean? The ability to see the truth within oneself was gained. Using that, when I looked within myself, I realized, "Oh, that day I spoke so ill of that poor doctor in my mind." What about the condition of us businessmen? I was born into a business family, raised in it, and did business for years. Therefore, I understand the mindset of businessmen very well. What is the mindset of businessmen? If a war breaks out somewhere in the world, a world war begins. If there is a famine, a severe drought. If some such situation arises that there is a shortage of consumer goods, and there is a shortage, then prices start to rise. Then we businessmen, in our business language, say, "The market is improving." The market is improving for us, isn't it? A lot of money will come. No matter how much trouble people have, for us, rising prices, rising prices of things is our mindset. This is where the profit will come. And suppose the wars stop. The drought is over. There is prosperity. Consumer items are readily available. Prices start to fall. Then, with a very sad heart, they say, "The market has collapsed." The market has collapsed for us. Oh, what kind of mindset? What is the consciousness of my mind? I can say a thousand times from my side that this livelihood of mine is a righteous livelihood. If the consciousness of my mind is only about exploitation, how can more and more money come to me? No matter how much suffering people have to endure, how can wealth keep accumulating with me? Then, even a livelihood that appears righteous on the surface should be understood as not righteous and harmful.
Householders, there is no fault in earning money. One thing should be understood. No householder is a renunciate monk. For a renunciate monk, accumulating wealth is a great fault. Similarly, for a householder, having wealth is not a fault. If you are a householder, you will not beg from anyone. With your honesty, with your hard work, you will earn money. To support yourself, to support your family's Dharma. This is a matter of Dharma. But a difficulty also arises. A very big difficulty arises. The state of liberation is the same for everyone. Whether a householder, a monk, or a nun. And the state of liberation is where there is no trace of ego. And we keep awakening ego, awakening the sense of self, and want to be liberated. A householder wants to be liberated, doesn't he? How will it happen? When he earns money, a tendency will arise in the depths of his inner mind that "I earned this money, I earned it with my intelligence, with my cleverness, I am so sensible, I am so shrewd, and this is my money." So, the sense of "I" and "mine" will awaken. Now what to do? On one hand, a householder should earn money through hard work and honesty. On the other hand, the money that comes will awaken ego within him. Then what to do? So, the wise people of the country have shown a way: "Look, brother, whatever money comes into your house, divide it equally." This is the old Indian language: "Sam vibhag kar." That is, do not consider it yours; distribute it. You are a householder. You have to support yourself. You have to support your family. There is no fault in this. But after supporting yourself and your family, if some part is left, distribute it. It is a part of society. All this wealth that has come to you, where did it come from? It came from society, from people. And what are you giving them in return? If you earn more, you give more; if you earn less, you give less. Every householder must distribute a portion of the wealth they earn. They must definitely distribute it.
Secondly, people from the business class who are on the path of Vipassana repeatedly come and ask, "What should we do? The entire system of society, the system of governance, is so corrupt that we want to do business honestly, but we cannot. What should we do?" Their words are well understood because I myself have gone through business and trade. My family members are doing it, so I understand it very well. So, I tell them one thing: "Brother, where this corrupt system forces you to bow down, keep that aside for once. At least do not do wrong in those matters where you have control." One thing you must understand: all those who want to walk the path of Vipassana and are businessmen. One thing they must understand very well: the wealth that comes into my house comes from my customer's pocket. So, my customer is my benefactor. I eat the food given by my benefactor. I will never deceive my benefactor. I will never deceive my customer. In quality, in quantity, in measurement, in weighing, in any matter, I will not deceive. You can do at least this much, can't you? What does the state's system say about this? What do other things say about this? This is your greed, isn't it, that you deceive him, your customer? So, a person who is starting on the path of Vipassana, a businessman, must tie these two things to their heart: "I will not deceive my customer." And one more thing: a portion of the wealth that comes will be distributed. It will be used for the welfare of the people. If it is distributed equally, then it is a righteous livelihood. Then it is not a wrong livelihood. Otherwise, even if he does not do these two things and does not engage in those four or five types of businesses, his livelihood is still not righteous. The mindset is only about accumulation. If others suffer, let them suffer; let it accumulate with me. It will be a harmful thing.
Samma Ajivo (Right Livelihood). These three are included under Sila (Morality). Then, under Samadhi (Concentration), three more come: Samma Vayama (Right Effort), Samma Sati (Right Mindfulness), Samma Samadhi (Right Concentration).
Samma Vayama: Right Effort, proper effort, exertion, hard work. Our body becomes weak, and we stumble when we walk. Then a wise person tells us, "Brother, exercise your body a bit so that your muscles become strong, and you don't stumble like this, you are not so weak, and you don't get various diseases." Similarly, if our mind becomes weak and sick, a wise person will say, "Exercise your mind." And everyone has seen the result of working for two days: what a sick mind we are carrying, how weak the mind is, how it stumbles every moment, sometimes it stumbles here, sometimes there. Such a weak mind, such a sick mind needs exercise to become strong and healthy. It needs some exercise that can make our sick mind healthy and our weak mind strong. That is Samma Vayama.
There are four types of exercises. The first exercise is to examine your mind and see if this bad quality is in my mind. Whatever bad quality it is, know it and remove it. Remove that bad quality. This is the first exercise. A good exercise. Then examine: this bad quality is not in my mind. This bad quality is not present. So, all doors of the mind are closed. If this bad quality is not present, then it should not come in. We will not let it come. This is the second exercise. Then examine your mind. A person walking on the path of Dharma performs self-introspection. Self-observation. Do not look at others. Look at yourself. He sees: this good quality is in my mind. This good quality is present. So, do not awaken ego. This good quality is present. That's good. Now, the good quality that is present must be maintained. It should not go away. It must be nurtured. This is the third good exercise. Then he examines his mind and sees: this good quality is not in my mind at all. This good quality is not present at all. No despair, no sadness. This good quality is not present, so let's bring it in. All doors of the mind are opened. Whatever good quality is not present, let's bring it in. And whatever bad qualities are present, let's remove them. Whatever bad qualities are not present, let's not let them come in. Whatever good qualities are present, let's keep them. Let's nurture them. Whatever good qualities are not present, let's bring them in. These four exercises are such exercises that they will lead us forward on the right path of Dharma.
Samma Vayama. Samma Sati. Sati means mindfulness. It is said that in 2500 years, language changes, words change, the meanings of words change. In all the languages of India today, the word "smriti" has only one meaning left: memory, recollection. In the language of 2500 years ago, it did not have only this meaning. It had a larger meaning, and that was alertness. To be alert. Alert to what? To be alert to oneself. That was called sati. To be alert to this physical phenomenon, to be alert to the mental phenomenon, to be alert to all one's actions. That was called sati, mindfulness. Being very alert. We started this work. Yesterday and today, this is what we are doing, isn't it? Knowing the truth that is manifesting moment by moment, moment by moment, about ourselves, our body, and our mind. The breath comes, it goes, it comes, it goes. From this nostril, from that nostril, we are knowing it. It touches here, it touches there, it touches. We are knowing it. This is the work of sati.
Now, the entire path is leading us from the gross to the subtle. So, the experiences so far, with the help of this breath, the information about the breath. You will see that tonight and all day tomorrow, more subtle truths will begin to manifest. We have deliberately done one thing: to know the truth about ourselves, we have not focused on the entire body. Just a small part of the body, this triangular area from the upper lip to the nose. First, we will know the truth of this place. What is happening here? The breath is coming and going here. It is touching here, it is touching there. So that our mind remains in a small area. And when the mind is in a small area, it becomes very subtle, very sensitive. We need to make our mind subtle, sensitive, so that it can know about the entire body, and later, about the entire mind. So, for now, in this small distance. In this small distance, if we see tonight, tomorrow, the breath is coming and going, it is touching, and what else is happening? The truth is that in every moment, in every atom of the body, some event is happening. Some biochemical reaction is happening. Some electromagnetic reaction is happening. Something or the other is happening in the entire body. Our mind is so gross. We never paid attention to that. One, it is gross, and two, it has always been outward-looking, outward-looking, outward-looking. We never looked inward. We never did any process of looking inward. Even if we sat to meditate, we did not see the truth about ourselves. Just some imagination, our belief that there is a soul, there is a God. There is no such soul, there is no such God. Soul and God are two, no, one. We wasted all our time in these imaginations. Where does your attachment awaken? Where does your aversion awaken? And to what extent are you increasing it? How are you tying knots? How can you get out of it? We never paid attention to this. And we wasted all our time in useless, imaginary talks.
So, for the first time, we have come to do this: to understand the entire phenomenon of the body within this three-cubit frame, the entire phenomenon of the mind, and how these two interact. To understand it through experience. So that we can thoroughly understand the origin of defilements and, by stopping the origin of defilements, begin the work of transforming our nature deep within our inner mind. How does the nature of attachment become free from attachment? How does the nature of aversion become free from aversion? How does the nature of delusion become free from delusion? So, from gross to subtle, we will move. Something or the other is happening in the entire body. Some sensation is happening. We call it sensation when something is experienced at the body level. Something is felt. So, it is happening in the entire body. Now, we have chosen this place. From the upper lip to the nose. What is happening here? Is something happening on the inner walls of the nose, or on the outer walls of the nose, or on the outer rings of the nose, or on the upper lip below the nose? What is happening? So, the first thing, if you pay attention, you will realize: "Oh, look, there is a difference in the temperature of the breath that is coming and the breath that is going." Did you ever pay attention? Now, if you pay attention, you will realize that the breath that went in and came out felt slightly warmer. The breath coming out is slightly warmer than the breath going in. This is natural. Our body's internal temperature is higher than the outside environment's temperature. So, the air from the outside environment went in, touched the warm environment inside, and came out slightly warmer. We never knew this because we didn't pay attention. The thing was always the same. This is the first thing.
And if you pay a little attention, you will gradually realize: "Okay, leaving the breath, what else is happening besides the breath coming and going?" Because of the breath, we felt this warmth, this cold. This is one event. What else is happening? If you pay attention, you will realize that whether the breath comes or goes, something else is also happening. Sometimes you will feel warmth, sometimes coolness, sometimes sweating, sometimes itching, sometimes a tingling sensation, sometimes a buzzing sensation, sometimes a throbbing, a twitching, a shiver, a thrill. Who knows what all is happening. Sometimes you will feel lightness, sometimes heaviness, sometimes tension, sometimes pressure, sometimes pain, sometimes a contraction, an expansion, a contraction, an expansion. Sometimes you will feel dryness or wetness. Who knows how many types of sensations there are. If we want them to be of a particular type, then no. They happen on their own. Whatever happens in this moment, know it. Do not imagine what is not happening. Do not desire it. What is happening in this moment, this happened. The next moment, this happened. The next moment, this happened. Thus, moment by moment, moment by moment, whatever happens, we will keep knowing it. We have to know it with the attitude of a witness.
One thing should be understood. The old habit is: if itching occurs, we don't like it. If itching occurs, we raise our hand and scratch it. We don't like it, do we? We want to get rid of it, so we scratch it. Now, if there is no itching, then there is no suffering, but a witnessing attitude. A witness attitude. "Come, brother, we will see you too. Let's see how long you last. Let's see yours too." Oh, it will intensify. It will intensify. It will intensify. It will intensify. It will end. No itching lasts forever. It ends sooner or later. Similarly, whatever sensation is felt here is not going to last forever. It arises. It ends sooner or later. It arises. After some time, it ends. We are just knowing it with the attitude of a witness. We are not doing anything else. We will do this tonight and all day tomorrow. Then we will see that gradually we are moving towards more subtlety. Moving towards more subtlety. This is sati, where there is no imagination, where the truth is experienced through one's own experience. This is Samma Sati. It is experienced through one's own experience, and the truth is related to oneself, to one's body and one's mind. Not to other matters. One's own mental phenomenon, one's own physical phenomenon, and from the collection of these two, what is happening, knowing that is the work of Samma Sati.
Samma Samadhi: Concentration of a wholesome mind is called Samma Samadhi. Mere concentration of the mind is called Samadhi. May it be Samma Samadhi. The mind is very impure. It is filled with attachment. And based on attachment, we have concentrated the mind. Based on aversion, we have concentrated the mind. Based on some imaginary falsehood, we have concentrated the mind. It is not Samma Samadhi. Let's understand with an example. You must have seen a crane. Standing by the water's edge, how? On one leg, not moving at all. It is very concentrated. Very meditative. But what is it concentrated on? It is concentrating on seeing a fish in the water and snatching it. It is concentrated. You must have seen a cat. How it stands near a mouse hole. Not moving. Not even a hair moves. It is very delicious. When the mouse comes out, it will snatch it. You must have seen a hunter. How he sits, concentrating on his rifle. When some prey comes in front, he will shoot. These are all concentrations, aren't they? Meditation, isn't it? Concentration, isn't it? Not Samma. Not for one's own work. Even the worst work in the world is done by concentrating the mind. Mere concentration of the mind will not lead us to the state of liberation. Such concentration whose basis is not impurity, not attachment, not aversion, not delusion, is for our welfare.
So, towards the subtle event that occurred, there is no attachment, no aversion, and no imagination. If the breath is coming, there is no imagination. The breath is coming, there is no attachment towards it, no aversion. The breath is going out, there is no attachment towards it, no aversion. No imagination. If there is itching, or warmth, or tingling, or a buzzing sensation, or tickling, there is no attachment towards it, no aversion. And it is true. There is no imagination. By knowing it moment by moment, moment by moment, for as long as we keep knowing it, our concentration will become stronger. This is what we have to do. This is the work we have come to do. The field of wisdom that lies beyond this, in which two more limbs of Dharma remain, we will not discuss them today. We will discuss them tomorrow because we have to enter that field the day after tomorrow. For now, by following Sila and staying here, circumstances that help in following Sila are helpful. Only one Sila, that of speaking the truth, there might be difficulty. If you talk to each other, you might speak some lies, and Sila will be broken. Or if you call the guide and ask, and you exaggerate something or hide something, Sila will be broken. Be very alert to this. These other four Sila will be easily followed while staying here. So, by strictly following all five Sila, work on strengthening your concentration. Tomorrow evening, we will understand the matter of wisdom very well, and the day after tomorrow, we will step into the field of wisdom.
The time we have, eight days remaining. Eight days are very few. Eight days are very few for such a big task. May they be used very well. May they be used with great wisdom. Oh, such an opportunity in life, who knows if it will come again or not. It is obtained by great fortune, by great merit. Human life itself is obtained by great merit. And to find pure Dharma in human life is a matter of great merit. Otherwise, who knows in what way human birth would have been spent in rituals. In what way it would have been spent in communal entanglements. In what way it would have been entangled in philosophical beliefs. The true Dharma would not have been understood. To practice it is a distant matter. So, it is a matter of great fortune. We have received human life. It is a matter of great fortune. We have received pure Dharma. It is a matter of great fortune. Faith has awakened towards it. Keep working, keep working. May the time be used very well. Not to do a favor to anyone. Not to please anyone. Oh, for your own good, for your own well-being, for your own welfare. Dharma is very auspicious. Adopting Dharma is very beneficial. May all those who have come to the camp, by walking the path of Dharma, become very mature, may there be great auspiciousness, great welfare, great liberation. May there be Swasti Mukti. [Music] Sarva Mangalam Bhavatu. Sab Mangal Bhavatu. Sarva Mangal. [Music] You can rest for five minutes if you wish, and then we will start working. Five minutes rest.