Ven. Acariya Mun - Spiritual Biography + photos

close attention to your actions, speech, and thoughts to determine
the kind of results they produce. Are they producing Dhamma,
which is an antidote to the poisons of apathy and self-indulgence;
or are they producing a tonic that nourishes the delusions that
cause dukkha, giving them strength to extend the cycle of exist-
ence indefinitely? Whatever they are, the results of your actions,
speech, and thoughts should be thoroughly examined in every
detail; or else, you’ll encounter nothing but failure and never rise
above the pain and misery that haunt this world.”
Ãcariya Mun’s response to the monk, who suggested that
he teach people indiscriminately about the unusual phenomena
he experienced, was fierce and uncompromising. The gist of his
reply makes for a remarkable Dhamma teaching – one that is
seldom heard. It seems unlikely that the monk deserved a con-
demnation as strong as Ãcariya Mun’s stirring rebuke might have
suggested. Perhaps speaking up was his way of prompting Ãcariya
Mun into giving us a talk. As far as I could tell, if nothing out of
the ordinary happened to strike his heart and provoke a response,
Ãcariya Mun preferred to speak in a smooth, easy manner – espe-
cially when the subject was very profound. At such times, how-
ever, his listeners often felt something missing and were not fully
satisfied with his teaching. But if someone started something by
asking him a question, or if he became annoyed hearing some
monks talk ambiguously about Dhamma, or if their discussion
piqued his interest, then the Dhamma in his heart began to stir
and stream forth, expressing itself in unusual ways that lent fire
and excitement to our listening.
Each time Ãcariya Mun delivered a declamation of this kind
his audience felt deeply moved in a way that’s difficult to describe.