Dhamma Fighting¹

Now, having reached the path we still don't know anything, we still haven't seen anything, so we must learn. To learn we must be prepared to endure some hardship, just like students in the world. It's difficult enough to obtain the knowledge and learning necessary for them to pursue their careers. They have to endure. When they think wrongly or feel averse or lazy they must force themselves before they can graduate and get a job. The practice for a monk is similar. If we determine to practice and contemplate, then we will surely see the way.

Ditthi-māna is a harmful thing. Ditthi means ''view'' or ''opinion.'' All forms of view are called ditthi: seeing good as evil, seeing evil as good... any way whatsoever that we see things. This is not the problem. The problem lies with the clinging to those views, called māna; holding on to those views as if they were the truth. This leads us to spin around from birth to death, never reaching completion, just because of that clinging. So the Buddha urged us to let go of views.

If many people live together, as we do here, they can still practice comfortably if their views are in harmony. But even two or three monks would have difficulty if their views were not good or harmonious. When we humble ourselves and let go of our views, even if there are many of us, we come together at the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha³.

It's not true to say that there will be disharmony just because there are many of us. Just look at a millipede. A millipede has many legs, doesn't it? Just looking at it you'd think it would have difficulty walking, but actually it doesn't. It has its own order and rhythm. In our practice it's the same. If we practice as the Noble Sangha of the Buddha practiced, then it's easy. That is, supatipanno - those who practice well; ujupatipanno - those who practice straightly; ñāyapatipanno - those who practice to transcend suffering, and sāmıcipatipanno - those who practice properly. These four qualities, established within us, will make us true members of the Sangha. Even if we number in the hundreds or thousands, no matter how many we are, we all travel the same path. We come from different backgrounds, but we are the same. Even though our views may differ, if we practice correctly there will be no friction. Just like all the rivers and streams which flow to the sea... once they enter the sea they all have the same taste and color. It's the same with people. When they enter the stream of Dhamma, it's the one Dhamma. Even though they come from different places, they harmonize, they merge.

But the thinking which causes all the disputes and conflict is ditthi-māna. Therefore the Buddha taught us to let go of views. Don't allow māna to cling to those views beyond their relevance.

The Buddha taught the value of constant sati⁴, recollection. Whether we are standing, walking, sitting or reclining, wherever we are, we should have this power of recollection. When we have sati we see ourselves, we see our own minds. We see the ''body within the body,'' ''the mind within the mind.'' If we don't have sati we don't know anything, we aren't aware of what is happening.

Footnotes

...¹

Exerpted from a talk given to monks and novices at Wat Pah Pong

... teacher²

That is, the Buddha.

...Sangha³

The Triple Gem: The Buddha, the Dhamma, His teaching, and the Sangha, the Monastic Order, or those who have realized the Dhamma.

...sati⁴

Sati: Usually translated into English as mindfulness, recollection is the more accurate translation of the Thai words, ''ra-luk dai.''

...bhāvanā⁵

Bhāvanā - means ''development'' or ''cultivation''; but is usually used to refer to citta-bhāvanā, mind-development, or paññā-bhāvanā, wisdom-development, or contemplation.