duce the results my heart desires, allowing me to attain the grace
of enlightenment as soon as possible.”
Convulsed with sobs of anguish, such was the fervent plea
of that sorrowful formless being as she expressed her hopes of
gaining enlightenment.
Ãcariya Mun replied that his intention in wishing to see her
was not to elicit regrets about the past: “People who wish each
other well should not think in that way. Haven’t you practiced the
four brahmavihãras: mettã, karuõã, muditã, and upekkhã?^19
The formless spirit replied: “I have practiced them for
so long that I can’t help thinking about the closeness we once
shared practicing them together. When a person saves only him-
self, as you have, it is quite natural for those left behind to be dis-
appointed. I’m in misery because I have been abandoned with-
out any concern for my welfare. I still can’t see any possibility of
easing my pain.”
He cautioned her: “Whether practicing on your own or in
concert with others, goodness is developed for the purpose of reduc-
ing anxiety and suffering within yourself, not for increasing them
until, being agitated, you become all upset. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, but the tendency of people with kilesas is to somehow
muddle through, not knowing which path is the right one for a
smooth, safe passage. We don’t know if what we are doing is right
or wrong, or whether the result will be happiness or suffering. We
know the pain in our hearts, but we don’t know the way out of it. So
we are left to fret about our misfortune, as you see me doing now.”
Ãcariya Mun said that the formless spirit was adamant in
her complaints about him. She accused him of making his escape
alone, showing no pity for her – she who for so long had struggled
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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