Monday, 28 March 2011

AN INTENSIVE COURSE IN KILESA SPOTTING


Interestingly, the kilesas, although they may appear to come singly, work interdependently.  Some degree of moha (i.e. avijja) is present with all except perhaps uddhacca.  Conceit and viewpoints sustain greed, hatred, shamelessness and moral recklessness.  Restlessness and torpor seem to work alternately - either the mind is too busy or it's like a block of wood.  While doubt is rooted in delusion (i.e. avijja) and fuelled by restlessness (the inability of the mind to concentrate sufficiently to investigate).

Kilesas are "defilements".  So what do they defile?  Me! No, not you.  There is no permanent self to be defiled.  It's the mind that is defiled.  Like contaminated water, once the contaminants are removed, the water is completely pure.  So with mind, once the kilesas are removed there is complete purity.  So, what is pure? Me! No, that's a kilesa ,too.  The mind is pure.  Mind without kilesas is completely pure.

Two ways of achieving this:

1. Practising Dhamma continuously, moment to moment.  Then no kilesas can alight.  This is like the very healthy man.  Diseases can't get a grip'

2. Every time a kilesa is spotted, apply the specific Dhamma cure.  This is like the man who is not completely healthy or perhaps run down.


New Project: FIRE SERMON 



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