in your heart. You can only resolve this matter by making a stand
on a battlefield conducive to victory, like the one I just indicated.
Persevere, and you will come to realize fear’s harmful effects: it
stirs the emotions and demoralizes the spirit, always giving rise
to suffering. It is better to take a defiant stand now. Don’t simply
keep clinging to that fear, hugging it tightly to your chest and
burning your heart until you cry out in agony. Fail to act decisively
now and your suffering will continue indefinitely.
“Will you believe in the supreme sanctity of your teacher
and the Dhamma? Or are you going to trust that fear the kilesas
have released into your heart which is depriving you of the very
mindfulness and wisdom you need to defeat it? Looking around,
you seem to see only tigers, all coming to tear out your flesh and
make a meal of you.
Why is that? Please reflect deeply on the matter. I assure
you that I have used the same combative training method to good
effect in my own practice.”
Such was his delight in the Dhamma he heard that the
monk said he felt his citta glowing bright with courage as he lis-
tened to Ãcariya Mun’s strong rebuke. When Ãcariya Mun fin-
ished speaking, the monk took his leave and immediately pre-
pared to go to the cave.
He arrived at the cave still buoyed by a sense of courage and
rapturous delight. He put down the belongings he carried with
him and began to survey the surrounding area. Then, by some
mischance, the thought arose in his mind that the cave was home
to a tiger. With this thought in mind and his eyes scanning the
ground in front of the cave, he spied a tiger’s paw-print in the dirt.
Never considering that it was probably made long before, the sight
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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