“The Buddha cannot eradicate your defilements, and neither can any respectable teacher. They can only advise you on the methods to do so.”
The Buddha said ‘bhārā have pañcakhandā’: the five aggregates are a very heavy burden. When you wake up, you have to feed your body and then walk after finishing your meal. You have to change your postures regularly and to take a bath. You have to do a lot of things. For example, when someone comes to see me, I have to give them a Dhamma talk, teach them, and speak to them— these are all work.
Without a body, you will be at ease as there will be no need to take care of the body. The mind can be separated from the body; that is to know what the mind is, what the body is, what makes the mind happy, and what makes it suffer. When the mind is aware of its nature and able to discern what causes suffering and agitation, then it will become disengaged.
It is better to let things be as they are. If you can still continue living, then do so. When you can no longer do so, when it is time to leave, then leave. No one can live forever. We all have to die one day. So you should make it count and not waste it while you still have the opportunity.
While you are still alive, you should practise Dhamma and cultivate merit and perfections (pāramī) to make spiritual progress. It will bring more peace and calm to the mind as well as wisdom in order to fight against your mental defilements (kilesas), namely craving, passion, and hatred. These defilements are the things you have to address more than anything else.
As for other people, you don’t need to fix or change them, because we all have to rely on ourselves in the end. No one can fix or change anyone else. You only have to see to yourself by relying on the teachings of those who know, such as the Buddha and his noble disciples.
The Buddha cannot eradicate your defilements, and neither can any respectable teacher. They can only advise you on the methods to do so. But if you don’t make use of their methods, you then cannot rid yourself of the defilements.
The body is a means to cure issues of the heart. You need your body to listen to the Dhamma. Once you’ve listened, you can put your body to work—to get rid of the defilements. It is to practise walking and sitting meditation in order to fight against the defilements.
The defilements also need your body to carry out their work. They use your body to go out, watch movies, listen to music, eat, and drink. The defilements need your body and so do you.
So you have to drag yourself to get on a walking-meditation path and to go to the temple. Do not let yourself go along with the defilements. Once you can resist the power of the defilements, your craving and defilements will gradually disappear.
Nothing can then disturb your mind. You’ll be at ease and happy wherever you are. Whether it is to sit, walk, or sleep, you’ll be happy inside because there is nothing to trouble your mind. There is no craving or wanting of anything from the outside world. You live and eat only out of physical necessity to maintain your body, but your mind no longer has any craving to have or to be.
By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto
Youtube: Dhamma in English
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g
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