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The Amity of Dhamma

My dear Dhamma sons and Dhamma daughters:

So much work has been done to help the spread of Dhamma in the last twenty-one years. Yet without wanting to devalue it, the work done is just a very tiny step on a long journey. A tiny step has been taken, but it is a very important step because it is in the right direction, on the right path. The time has now ripened and Dhamma is bound to spread, it has started to spread. Everyone should feel very fortunate in having an opportunity to participate in the spread of Dhamma, helping people to come out of their misery.

The work is growing. A great deal of service is needed, and it is good that a large number of people are coming forward to serve, but unless you serve yourself, you can’t serve others. A lame person cannot support another lame person. A blind person cannot guide another blind person. The Buddha said, "I guarantee your liberation, but with one condition: that you rid yourself of ego." If someone comes to serve people and does nothing to eradicate his or her own ego, then where is the service? If you want to help people to come out of bondage, out of misery, and you are doing nothing to liberate yourself from bondage and from misery—if you are doing nothing to dissolve your own ego—then certainly this service will not be a Dhamma service. You have to dissolve your ego. There are many other fields where we can gain material benefits, but in Dhamma leave aside material gain. This is not the place or the field to look for name and fame, for power or for status.

The Buddha said that two types of people are rare. One type is the person who serves, who takes initiative in serving, which means that there is no thought in the mind about anything other than service. Instead, such a person thinks, bahujanahitāya, bahujana-sukhāya—my service is to help others, more and more people should benefit from it. The second type is the person who has a feeling of gratitude. Develop these two qualities and certainly you are progressing on the path, certainly you are fit to help others.

The organization is growing. But as it grows it is quite possible that differences of opinion will come, personality clashes might start, there may be attachment to personal opinions. One has to be very careful. This is like fire; don’t allow the fire to start. But if it has begun, see that it is extinguished immediately. Don’t allow it to spread. Always remember Buddha’s words:

Vivādaṃ bhayato disvā, avivādañ ca khemato, samaggā sakhilā hotha, esā buddhānusāsanī.

Seeing danger in dispute, security in concord, dwell together in amity— this is the teaching of the Enlightened One.

If you find a fault in somebody certainly you should go and tell him or her—humbly, with mettā and compassion, "Well, I feel this action of yours is not according to Dhamma." Try to convince them, but if they are not convinced don’t generate negativity—instead generate more compassion. Try again, and if again this person doesn’t understand then inform an elder, let the elder try. If this is not successful, let another elder try. If this is not successful, have compassion for this person.

If you have anger and hatred, how can you help someone? You have not even helped yourself. Be careful. Remember, vivadaṃ bhayato disvā—it is a frightening situation where you create animosity or controversy. This is a family and a member of the

family has become weak. The entire family should help to make this person strong. Don’t condemn them or try to push them out. This person requires our compassion, not our hatred.

If we continue to have this attitude then Dhamma remains with us all the time because we have started helping ourselves first. There should be nothing but love and compassion. This should become the guideline for every Dhamma server.

Now about research: The words of the Buddha are lost in many countries, and we should be grateful to the countries that maintained them in their pristine purity.

These words of the Buddha have to spread in order to help paṭipatti [meditation practice]. The pariyatti [theory], the publication of pariyatti, the research in pariyatti should not become our main aim. Our main aim will always be paṭipatti. If we remain satisfied only with reading the words of the Buddha, but do nothing to take steps on the path he taught, then again we have started harming ourselves. The theoretical aspect of Dhamma, the words of the Buddha, are to help us, to encourage us, to guide us, but the main thing will always be to walk on the path step by step. Make use of the words of the Buddha and they will certainly encourage you.

I recommend that every student of Vipassana learns at least basic Pāli, the words spoken by Buddha. I speak from my own experience. Every word of the Enlightened One is so inspiring, provided you continue your meditation practice. You have to make your own research of the truth inside, research about the interaction of mind and matter inside—how out of ignorance one keeps on reacting, how in wisdom one comes out of it. This is how the words of the Buddha can be used for your own liberation.

Suffering is all around, misery is all around. May this wonderful medicine of the Buddha help the suffering people to come out of their illness, to come out of their misery. May the light of Dhamma spread around the world, dispelling the darkness of ignorance.

Bhavatu sabba maṅgalaṃ

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