Sometimes, when a fruit tree is in bloom, a breeze stirs
and scatters blossoms to the ground. Some buds remain and
grow into small green fruit. A wind blows and some of them,
too, fall! Still others may become fruit nearly ripe, or some even
fully ripe, before they fall.
*
And so it is with people. Like flowers and fruit in the
wind they, too, fall in different stages of life. Some people die
while still in the womb, others within only a few days after birth.
Some people live for a few years then die, never having reached
maturity. Men and women die in their youth. Still others reach
a ripe old age before they die.
When reflecting upon people, consider the nature of fruit
in the wind: both are very uncertain.
This uncertain nature of things can also be seen in the
rnonastic life. Some people come to the monastery intending to
ordain but change their minds and leave, some with heads already
shaved. Others are already novices, then they decide to leave.
Some ordain for only one Rains Retreat then disrobe. Just like
fruit in the wind --all very uncertain!
Our minds are also similar. A mental impression arises,
draws and pulls at the mind, then the mind falls --just like
fruit.
The Buddha understood this uncertain nature of things.
He observed the phenomenon of fruit in the wind and reflected
upon the monks and novices who were his disciples. He found
that they, too, were essentially of the same nature --uncentain!
How could it be otherwise? This is just the way of all things.
Thus, for one who is practising with awareness, it isn't
necessary to have someone to advise and teach all that much to
be able to see and understand. An example is the case of the
Buddha who, in a previous life, was King Chanokomun. He
didn't need to study very much. All he had to do was observe a
mango tree.
One day, while visiting a park with his retinue of ministers,
from atop his elephant, he spied some mango trees heavily laden
with ripe fruit. Not being able to stop at that time, he determined
in his mind to return later to partake of some. Little did he know,
however, that his ministers, coming along behind, would greedily
gather them all up; that they would use poles to knock them down,
beating and breaking the branches and tearing and scattering the
leaves.
Returning in the evening to the mango grove, the king,
already imagining in his mind the delicious taste of the mangoes,
suddenly discovered that they were all gone, completely finished!
And not only that, but the branches and leaves had been thoroughly
thrashed and scattered.
The king, quite disappointed and upset, then noticed
another mango tree nearby with its leaves and branches still intact.
He wondered why. He then realized it was because that tree had
no fruit. If a tree has no fruit nobody disturbs it and so its leaves
and branches are not damaged. This lesson kept him absorbed in
thought all the way back to the palace: "It is unpleasant, trouble-some
and difficult to be a king. It requires constant concern for
all his subjects. What if there are attempts to attack, plunder and
seize parts of his kingdom?" He could not rest peacefully; even
in his sleep he was disturbed by dreams.
He saw in his mind, once again, the mango tree without
fruit and its undamaged leaves and branches. "If we become
similar to that mango tree," he though, "our 'leaves' and 'branches,'
too, would not be damaged."
In his chamber he sat and meditated. Finally, he decided
to ordain as a monk, having been inspired by this lesson of the
mango tree. He compared himself to that mango tree and concluded
that if one didn't became involved in the ways of the world, one
would be truly independent, free from worries or difficulties.
The mind would be untroubled. Reflecting thus, he ordained.
From then on, wherever he went, when asked who his
teacher was, he would answer, "A mango tree." He didn't need
to receive teaching all that much. A mango tree was the cause of
his awakening to the Opanayiko-Dhamma, the teaching leading
inwards. And with this awakening, he became a monk, one who
has few concerns, is content with little, and who delights in solitude.
His royal status given up, his mind was finally at peace.
In this story the Buddha was a Bodhisatta who developed
his practice in this way continuously. Like the Buddha as King
Chanokomun, we, too, should look around us and be observant
because everything in the world is ready to teach us.
With even a little intuitive wisdom, we will then be able
to see clearly through the ways of the world. We will come to
understand that everything in the world is a teacher. Trees and
vines, for example, can all reveal the true nature of reality. With
wisdom there is no need to question anyone, no need to study.
We can learn from Nature enough to be enlightened, as in the
story of King Chanokomun, because everything follows the way
of Truth. It does not diverge from Truth.
Associated with wisdom are self-composure and restraint
which, in turn, can lead to further insight into the ways of Nature.
In this way, we will come to know the ultimate truth of everything
being "Anicca-Dukkha-Anatta" ( The three characteristics
of existence, namely; impermanence/instability,
suffering/unsatisfactoriness, and not-self/impersonality).
Take trees, for example; all
trees upon the earth are equal, are One , when seen through the
reality of "Anicca-Dukkha-Anatta". First they come into being,
then grow and mature, constantly changing, until they finally die
as every tree must.
In the same way, people and animals are born, grow and
change during their life-times until they eventually die. The
multitudinous changes which occur during this transition from
birth to death show the Way of Dhamma. That is to say, all things
are impermanent, having decay and dissolution as their natural
condition.
If we have awareness and understanding, if we study with
wisdom and mindfulness, we will see Dhamma as reality. Thus,
we will see people as constantly being born, changing and finally
passing away. Everyone is subject to the cycle of birth and death,
and because of this, everyone in the universe is as One being.
Thus, seeing one person clearly and distinctly is the same as seeing
every person in the world.
In the same way, everything is Dhamma. Not only the
things we see with our physical eye, but also the things we see in
our minds. A thought arises, then changes and passes away. It
is "Nama Dhamma", simply a mental impression that arises and
passes away. This is the real nature of the mind. Altogether, this
is the Noble Truth of Dhamma. If one doesn't look and observe
in this way, one doesn't really see! If one does see, one will have
the wisdom to listen to the Dhamma as proclaimed by the Buddha.
Where is the Buddha?
The Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha exist in our
minds, but we have to see it clearly. Some people just pick this
up casualty saying, "Oh! The Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha
exist in my mind." Yet their own practice is not suitable or
appropriate. It is thus not befitting that the Buddha, the Dhamma
and the Sangha should be found in their minds, namely, because
the 'mind' must first be that mind which khows the Dhamma.
The Buddha is in the Dhamma.
Where is the Dhamma?
The Dhamma is in the Buddha.
Right here, now!
Where is the Sangha?
The Shangha is in the Dhamma.
Bringing everything back to this point of Dhamma, we
will come to know that, in the world, Truth does exist, and thus
it is possible for us to practise to realize it.
For instance, "Nama Dhamma", feelings, thoughts,
imagination, etc., are all uncertain. When anger arises, it grows
and changes and finally disappears. Happiness, too, arises, grows
and changes and finally disappears. They are empty. They are
not really any 'thing'. This is always the way of all things, both
mentally and materially. Internally, there are this body and mind.
Externally, there are trees, vines and all manner of things which
display this universal law of uncertainty.
Whether a tree, a mountain or an animal, it's all Dhamma,
everything is Dhamma. Where is this Dhamma? Speaking simply,
that which is not Dhamma doesn't exist. Dhamma is Nature.
This is called the "Sacca-Dhamma", the True Dhamma. If one
sees Nature, one sees Dhamma; if one sees Dhamma, one sees
Nature. Seeing Nature, one knows the Dhamma.
And so, what is the use of a lot of study when the ultimate
reality of life, in its every moment, in its every act, is just an
endless cycle of births and deaths? If we are mindful and clearly
aware when in all postures (sitting, standing, walking, lying), then
self-knowledge is ready to be born; that is, knowing the truth of
Dhamma already in existence right here and now.
At present, the Buddha, the real Buddha, is still living,
for He is the Dhamma itself, the "Sacca-Dhamma". And
"Sacca-Dhamma", that which enables one to become Buddha,
still exists. It hasn't fled anywhere! It gives rise to two Buddhas:
one in body and the other in mind.
"The real Dhamma," the Buddha told Ananda, "can
only be realized through practice!" Whoever sees Dhamma, sees
the Buddha. Whoever sees the Buddha, sees the Dhamma. And
how is this? Previously, no Buddha existed; it was only when
Siddartha Gotama (
Sidadartha Gotama : the original name of the historical Buddha.
Buddha, the one-who-knows; also state of enlightenment or awakening.)
realized the Dhamma that he became the
Buddha. If we explain it in this way, then He is the same as us.
If we realize the Dhamma, then we will likewise be the Buddha
This is called the Buddha in mind or "Nama-Dhamma".
We must be mindful of everything we do, for we become
the inheritors of our own good or evil actions. In doing good,
we reap good. In doing evil, we reap evil. All you have to do is
look into your everyday lives to know that this is so. Siddartha
Gotama was enlightened to the realization of this Truth, and this
gave rise to the appearance of a Buddha in the world. Likewise,
if each and every person practises to attain to this Truth, then
they, too, will change to be Buddha.
Thus, the Buddha still exists. Some people are very happy
saying, "If the Buddha still exists, then I can practise Dhamma!"
That is how you should see it.
The Dhamma that the Buddha realized is the Dhamma
which exists permanently in the world. It can be compared to
ground water which permanently exists in the ground. When a
person wishes to dig a well, he must dig down deep enough to
reach the ground water. The ground water is already there. He
does not create the water, he just discovers it. Similarly, the
Buddha did not invent the Dhamma, did not decree the Dhamma.
He merely revealed what was already there. Through conternplation,
the Buddha saw the Dhamma. Therefore, it is said that the
Buddha was Enlightened, for Enlightenment is knowing the
Dhamma. The Dhamma is the Truth of this world. Seeing this,
Siddartha Gotama is called "The Buddha". And the Dhamma is
that which allows other people to become a Buddha,
"Onse-who-knows", one who knows Dhamma.
If beings have good conduct and are loyal to the Buddha-Dhamma,
then those beings will never be short of virtue and
goodness. With understanding, we will see that we are really not
far from the Buddha, but sitting face to face with Him. When
we understand the Dhamma, then at that moment we will see the
Buddha.
If one really practises, one will hear the Buddha-Dhamma
whether sitting at the root of a tree, lying down or in whatever
posture. This is not something to merely think about. It arises
from the pure mind. Just remembering these words is not enough,
because this depends upon seeing the Dhamma itself, nothing
other than this. Thus we must be determined to practise to be
able to see this, and then our practice will really be complete.
Wherever we sit, stand, walk or lie, we will hear the Buddha's
Dhamma.
In order to practice His Teaching, the Buddha taught us
to live in a quiet place so that we can learn to collect and restrain
the senses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. This is the
foundation for our practice since these are the places where all
things arise, and only in these places. Thus we collect and restrain
these six senses in order to know the conditions that arise there.
All good and evil arise through these six senses. They are the
predominant faculties in the body. The eye is predominant in
seeing, the ear in hearing, the nose in smelling, the tongue in
tasting, the body in contacting hot, cold, hard and soft, and the
mind in the arising of mental impressions. All that remains for
us to do is to build our practice around these points.
This practice is easy because all that is necessary has already
been set down by the Buddha. This is comparable to the Buddha
planting an orchard and inviting us to partake of its fruit. We,
ourselves, do not need to plant one.
Whether concerning morality, meditation or wisdom,
there is no need to create, decree or speculate, because all that we
need to do is follow the things which already exist in the Buddha's
Teaching.
Therefore, we are beings who have much merit and good
fortune in having heard the Teachings of the Buddha. The
orchard already exists, the fruit is already ripe. Everything is
already complete and perfect. All that is lacking is someone to
partake of the fruit, someone with faith enough to practise!
We should consider that our merit and good fortune are
very valuable. All we need to do is look around to see how much
other creatures are possessed of ill-fortune; take dogs, pigs snakes
and other creatures for instance. They have no chance to study
Dhamma, no chance to know Dhamma, no chance to practise
Dhamma. These are beings possessed of ill-fortune who are
receiving karmic retribution. When one has no chance to study,
to know, to practise Dhamma, then one has no chance to be free
from Suffering.
As human beings we should not allow ourselves to become
victims of ill-fortune, deprived of proper manners and discipline.
Do not become a victim of ill-fortune! That is to say, one without
hope of attaining the Path of Freedom to Nibbana, without hope
of developing virtue. Do not think that we are already without
hope! By thinking in that way, we would then become possessed
of ill-fortune the same as other creatures.
We are beings who have come within the sphere of influence
of the Buddha. Thus we human beings are already of sufficient
merit and resources. If we correct and develop our understanding,
opinions and knowledge in the present, then it will lead us to behave
and practise in such a way as to see and know Dhamma in this
present life as human being.
We are thus different from other creatures, beings that
should be enlightened to the Dhamma. The Buddha taught that
at this present moment, the Dhamma exists here in front of us.
The Buddha sits facing us right hear and now! At what other time
or place are you going to look?
If we don't think rightly, if we don't practise rightly, we
will fall back to being animals or creatures in Hell or hungry ghosts
or demonds*. How is this? Just look in your mind.
When anger arises, what is it? There it is, just look! When delusion arises,
what is it? That's it, right there! When greed arises, what is it?
Look at it right there!
By not recognizing; and clearly understanding these mental
states, the mind changes from being that of a human being. All
conditions are in the state of becoming. Becoming gives rise to
birth or existence as determined by the present conditions. Thus
we become and exist as our minds condition us.
According to Buddhist thought beings are born in any of eight
states of existence depending on their Kamma.
These include three Heavenly States (where happiness is
predominant), the Human State, and the four above-mentioned Woeful
or Hell States (where suffering is predominant). The Venerable Ajahn
Chah always stresses that we should see these states in our own minds
in the present moment. So that depending on the condition of the mind,
we can say that we are continually being born in these different atates.
For instance, when the mind is on fire with anger then we have fallen
from the Human State and have been born in Hell right here and now.