Things as They Are
A Collection of Talks on the
Training of the Mind
by
Venerable Acariya
Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno
Translated from the Thai by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Copyright © 1988 Venerable Acariya Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno
First Edition 1988; Revised 1994; Revised 1996
This book is a free gift of Dhamma and may not be offered for sale, for as the Venerable Acariya Maha Boowa has said,
"Dhamma has a value beyond all wealth and should not be sold like goods in a market place."
Reproduction of this book in whole or in part, by any means, for sale or material gain, is prohibited. Permission to reprint in whole or in part for free distribution as a gift of Dhamma, however, is hereby granted, and no further permission need be obtained. You may re-format and redistribute this work for use on computers and computer networks provided that you charge no fees for its distribution or use.
Inquiries may be addressed to: Wat Pa Baan Taad, c/o Songserm Service, 89 Posri Road, Udorn Thani 41000 Thailand.
"Just as if there were a pool of water in a mountain glen -- clear, limpid, and unsullied -- where a man with good eyes standing on the bank could see shells, gravel, and pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about and resting, and it would occur to him, 'This pool of water is clear, limpid, and unsullied. Here are these shells, gravel, and pebbles, and also these shoals of fish swimming about and resting;' so too, the monk discerns as it actually is, that 'This is stress... This is the origin of stress... This is the stopping of stress... This is the way leading to the stopping of stress... These are mental effluents... This is the origin of mental effluents... This is the stopping of mental effluents... This is the way leading to the stopping of mental effluents.' His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the effluent of sensuality, released from the effluent of becoming, released from the effluent of unawareness. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that, 'Birth is no more, the holy life is fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"This, great king, is a reward of the contemplative life, visible here and now, more excellent than the previous ones and more sublime. And as for another visible reward of the contemplative life, higher and more sublime than this, there is none."
-- Samaññaphala Sutta
Digha Nikaya
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Contents
Introduction
From Ignorance to Emptiness
The Tracks of the Ox
The Path of Strength
The Savor of the Dhamma
The Middleness of the Middle Way
The Simile of the Horse
Principles in the Practice, Principles in the Heart
The Four Frames of Reference
The Work of a Contemplative
The Fangs of Unawareness
The Outer Space of the Mind
To Be an Inner Millionaire
Every Grain of Sand
Glossary
Notes
Note: In these talks, as in Thai usage in general, the words 'heart' and 'mind' are used interchangebly.
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Introduction
These talks -- except for the first -- were originally given extemporaneously to the monks at Venerable Acariya Maha Boowa's monastery, Wat Pa Baan Taad, in Udorn Thani Province, Thailand. As might be expected, they deal in part with issues particular to the life of Buddist monks, but they also contain much that is of more general interest. Since the monks who had assembled to listen to these talks were at different stages in their practice, each talk deals with a number of issues on a wide variety of levels. Thus there should be something of use in these pages for every reader interested in the training of the mind.
The title of this collection is taken from a Pali term that, directly or indirectly, forms the theme of a number of the talks: yatha-bhuta-ñana-dassana -- knowledge and vision of things as they are. My hope is that these talks will aid and encourage the reader in his or her own efforts to taste the liberation that comes with the reality to which this term refers.
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Rayong
January, 1988
