Part 4 - Theory And Practice

So we continue this practice until we have a feeling for it. After a time, depending on our own particular tendencies and abilities, a new kind of understanding arises. This we call Investigation of Dhamma (Dhamma vicaya), and this is how the Seven Factors of Enlightenment arise in the mind. Investigation of Dhamma is one of them. The others are: Mindfulness, Energy, Rapture, Tranquillity, concentration (Samadhi) and Equanimity.

If we have studied about the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, then well know what the books say, but we wont have seen the real Factors of Enlightenment. The real Factors of Enlightenment arise in the mind. Thus the Buddha came to give us all the various Teachings. All the Enlightened Ones have taught the way out of suffering and Their recorded Teachings we call the theoretical Teachings. This theory originally came from the practice, but it has become merely book learning or words.

The real Factors of Enlightenment have disappeared because we dont know them within ourselves, we dont see them within our own minds. If they arise they arise out of practice. If the arise out of practice them they are factors leading to Enlightenment of the Dhamma and we can use their arising as an indication that our practice is correct. If we are not practicing rightly, such things will not appear.

If we practice in the right way, then we can see Dhamma. So we say to keep on practicing, feeling your way gradually and continually investigating. Dont think that what you are looking for can be found anywhere other than right here.

One of my senior disciples had been learning Pali at a study Temple before he came here. He hadnt been very successful with his studies so he thought that, since monks who practice meditation are able to see and understand everything just by sitting, he would come and try this way. He came here to Wat Pah Pong with the intention of sitting in meditation so that he would be able to translate Pali scriptures. He had this kind of understanding about practice. So I explained to him about our way. He had misunderstood completely. He had thought it an easy matter just to sit and make everything clear.

If we talk about understanding Dhamma then both study monks and practice monks use the same words. But the actual understanding which comes from studying theory and that which comes from practicing Dhamma is not quite the same. It may seem to be the same, but one is more profound. One is deeper than the other. The kind of understanding which comes from practice leads to surrender, to giving up. Until there is complete surrender we persevere -- we persist in our contemplation. If desires or anger and dislike arise in our mind, we arent indifferent to them. We dont just leave them but rather take them and investigate to see how and from where they arise. If such moods are already in our mind, then we contemplate and see how they work against us. We see them clearly and understand the difficulties which we cause ourselves by believing and following them. This kind of understanding is not found anywhere other than in our own pure mind.

Its because of this that those who study theory and those who practice meditation misunderstand each other. Usually those who emphasize study say things like this, "Monks who only practice meditation just follow their own opinions. They have no basis in their Teaching." Actually, in one sense, these two ways of study and practice are exactly the same thing. It can help us to understand if we think of it like the front and back of our hand. If we put our hand out, it seems as if the back of the hand has disappeared. Actually the back of our hand hasnt disappeared anywhere, its just hidden underneath. When we say that we cant see it, it doesnt mean that it has disappeared completely, it just means that its hidden underneath. When we turn our hand over, the same thing happens to the palm of the hand. It doesnt go anywhere, its merely hidden underneath.

We should keep this in mind when we consider practice. If we think that it has "disappeared," well go off to study, hoping to get results. But it doesnt matter how much you study about Dhamma, youll never understand, because you wont know in accordance with Truth. If we do understand the real nature of Dhamma, then it becomes letting go. This is surrender -- removing attachment (Upadana), not clinging anymore, or, if there still is clinging, it becomes less and less. There is this kind of difference between the two ways of study and practice.

When we talk about study, we can understand it like this: our eye is a subject of study, our ear is a subject of study -- everything is a subject of study. We can know that form is like this and like that, but we attach to form and dont know the way out. We can distinguish sounds, but then we attach to them. Forms, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily feelings and mental impressions are all like a snare to entrap all beings.

To investigate these things is our way of practicing Dhamma. When some feeling arises we turn to our understanding to appreciate it. If we are knowledgeable regarding theory, we will immediately turn to that and see how such and such a thing happens like this and then becomes that...and so on. If we havent learned theory in this way, then we have just the natural state of our mind to work with. This is our Dhamma. If we have wisdom then well be able to examine this natural mind of ours and use this as our subject of study. Its exactly the same thing. Our natural mind is theory. The Buddha said to take whatever thoughts and feelings arise and investigate them. Use the reality of our natural mind as our theory. We rely on this reality.