labeled ‘the belongings of an obstinate monk.’ This monk is stub-
born, that monk is shameless, the monk over there is dazed –
until the whole monastery ends up doggedly disobedient. And I
end up with nothing but hardheaded students. Once obstinacy
becomes the norm, the world will break up from the strain and
the sãsana will surely be reduced to ruin. Which of you still want
to be a hardheaded monk? Is there anyone here who wants me to
be a teacher of hardheaded monks? If so, go back tomorrow and
dig out that well again, so the earth can collapse and bury you
there. Then you will be reborn in a hardheaded heavenly para-
dise where the devas can all come and admire your true greatness.
Surely no group of devas, including those in the brahma realms,
have ever seen or lived in such a peculiar paradise.”
After that the tone of his voice became gentler, as did the
theme of his talk, enabling his audience to wholeheartedly reflect
on the error of their stubborn disobedience. During the talk, it
seemed as if everyone had forgotten to breathe. Once the talk was
over and the meeting adjourned, the monks excitedly questioned
one another to find out who might have dared inform Ãcariya
Mun of the incident, prompting this severe scolding which
nearly made them faint. Everyone denied informing him, as each
dreaded a scolding as much as another. The incident passed with-
out a definitive answer to how Ãcariya Mun knew.
SINCE HIS TIME AT SARIKA CAVE, Ãcariya Mun possessed a mas-
tery of psychic skills concerning all sorts of phenomena. Over the
years, his proficiency grew to such an extent that there seemed
to be no limit to his abilities. As the monks living with him were