48. Preparation

By Luang Pu Thate Desaraṅsī

2 February 2531 (1988)

Having ordained, it might seem as if one is a lazy person with no work to do. Looking at the way things are day by day, if one doesn’t think deeply, what people say — “If you’re that lazy, go ordain” — is actually correct. Because what we do is light, not heavy — it’s light, but it’s profound. Day by day, we don’t engage in the heavy business that laypeople do. If we don’t reflect, it’s just as they say. But if we reflect deeply, we must perform the duties within our minds by being mindful at all times. Being mindful at all times, every day, in every posture, is a weighty matter, not a trivial one.

Letting mindfulness become scattered and swept away by moods, letting thoughts wander outside the proper bounds, outside the track, outside the limits — that is useless, a sheer waste. It would truly fit what they say: having ordained, there’s no benefit at all. If we don’t know our own duties, don’t know our own thoughts — whether good or bad, coarse or refined — and don’t understand the proper function of a monk, a contemplative, we shouldn’t think in pointless ways. We should think in what is proper. For example, when eating food, we are taught to reflect. We are not to eat mindlessly; we are to reflect that it is merely elements, that it is unattractive and repulsive. What we eat is simply elements — the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air — coming together with the existing four elements we already have, namely earth, water, fire, and air — this body — so that it can continue, can persist, so that life can carry on. Laypeople never reflect in this way. They only reflect on how to make it delicious, how to make it good and fine, seeking to season and decorate it for tastiness, to eat a lot, to sustain life in a full and abundant way.

But Buddhism does not teach like that. We eat so that we can live through one more day to carry out our duties in Buddhism. That is truly a profound benefit — deeper than that of laypeople. They eat for deliciousness, for perfect health, but when they die, they gain nothing — they just die and leave everything behind. Buddhism teaches us not to be intoxicated, to see these things merely as means to sustain life for one more day, to have life in order to carry out Buddhist duties. This is different from the lay way.

Therefore, we must think correctly, reflect correctly. We have ordained — what are our duties, what must we do? Apart from striving in practice, there are many distractions, many things that stray. The mind is scattered. When it is scattered, don’t let it go elsewhere. Learn to let go, don’t let it get stuck on things. Be aware that our mind is sending itself out, that our mind is not within bounds. Then quickly work on it, quickly bring it back inside. This is our duty in Buddhism. Having ordained, we must have mindfulness to control what sends thoughts straying outside — don’t let it stray far.

Having ordained, we must study the Dhamma-Vinaya. Have we studied the Dhamma-Vinaya completely? Is our observance of the Vinaya proper? Are our manners and conduct proper? Is the Dhamma we are to practice proper? As we practice, if fellow celibates ask us, we should be able to answer correctly, fitting for a senior monk. We didn’t ordain to disrobe tomorrow or the next day — perhaps we will stay for a long time. Staying for a long time entails responsibilities. We should be thorough and knowledgeable in the Dhamma-Vinaya. We should also be able to recite the Pāṭimokkha. The Pāṭimokkha is important. But as time goes by, we become lazy, just drifting along, thinking that since others recite it, that’s enough — we don’t have to take on that burden. That is negligence, truly contrary to a monk’s nature.

In all matters, we must be fully prepared. If we have prepared our own affairs completely, then we are satisfied, content. For instance, with reciting the Pāṭimokkha: if we can recite it, we feel content and satisfied. If we cannot, we remain anxious and doubtful — “Why can the others do it? Why can’t I?” That doubt lingers on. It is something we ought to attain, something we ought to study.

But day by day, we waste time. The time spent straying outside the Dhamma-Vinaya is great. The time we spend establishing mindfulness, intent on guarding the mind and controlling the mind, is very small. So reflect on your own duties and responsibilities. What benefit have we brought to Buddhism? There are routines and practices for the Dhamma-Vinaya, routines and practices for the community, duties and responsibilities for the Saṅgha — many things. Our duty is not to just sit idly. If we don’t think about these things, we become like a turtle — a turtle within the community — because we haven’t reflected, haven’t realized what we ourselves possess.

Thus, we should reflect thoroughly on ourselves. Have we accomplished our duties? For example, on the Observance Day itself — can we take on responsibilities for our fellows? Can we receive guests, attend to people? The part we can do is called beneficial to the community and to ourselves. Those who respect and esteem us will do so increasingly because we are capable of fulfilling our duties, bold in fulfilling them, beneficial to ourselves and to others. Reflect thoroughly, don’t just sit still or lie down idly. That’s enough.