every posture remains entirely his own, his heart unencumbered
by disturbing preoccupations. That leaves Dhamma as his preoc-
cupation – and Dhamma promotes only contentment. The monk
who is occupied solely with Dhamma has a heart that’s cheerful
and wonderfully content. He is free from the kind of hindrances
which cause dullness or confusion; he is empty of all defiling pre-
occupations. He basks in a full-fledged, natural inner peace, never
having to worry that it might alter or diminish in any way. This is
known as akãlika Dhamma: Dhamma which exists beyond space
and time. It exists in the heart that has completely transcended
conventional reality,^20 the source of all deception. Ãcariya Mun
was one well-gone;^21 one completely contented in all his activi-
ties. Coming and going, sitting, standing, walking, or lying down
- he remained completely contented. Although he led his dis-
ciples along this path, relatively few of the monks reached a high
level of Dhamma. Yet even this small number is of great benefit
to people everywhere.
WHEN ÃCARIYA MUN led his disciples on almsround he took var-
ious animals along the way as objects of contemplation, combin-
ing them with his inner Dhamma, and skillfully taught the monks
who were with him. They clearly heard his every word. This was
his way of teaching his disciples to be aware about the laws of
kamma, in that even animals must receive the results of their
actions. He would just point out an animal they came across as an
example. Ãcariya Mun insisted that animals should not be looked
down upon for their lowly birth. In truth, animals have reached
their time in the perpetual cycle of birth and death, experiencing
