teaching. In truth, his teaching so profoundly impressed me that
I am convinced it was amatadhamma,^16 emanating from a heart of
genuine purity. A heart of such pureness is by no means inherent
within human beings. To experience it, one must take the heart
of an ordinary human being, then cleanse it until it becomes the
pure heart of an Arahant – there is no other way. This purified
heart then remains ariyacitta ariyadhamma forever.
Saying that the heart is the most important thing in the
world means that the heart is the decisive factor controlling all
manifestations of good and all manifestations of evil. The heart
is the principal actor, and the one ultimately held accountable for
all actions. If people’s hearts motivate them to act in evil ways, the
entire planet can easily be destroyed as a consequence. Thus, it
is essential that our hearts should receive enough proper training
and care so that we can safely look after ourselves and the world
we live in. Then we will live in comfort, our lives free of undue
disturbance; and the world will be a pleasant place to live, with-
out the specter of strife constantly hanging over it.
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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