official and his wife respectfully took leave of him and returned
home in an exceptionally cheerful mood.
I have mentioned these strange, miraculous properties of
Ãcariya Mun’s relics so that my readers may ponder for them-
selves what causes such phenomena to occur. Those searching for
scientific proof to authenticate their occurrence will find empir-
ical evidence hard to come by. Since such things are impossible
for people with kilesas to fathom, they may not find a shred of
evidence to support them. The difference between the body ele-
ments of an Arahant and those of the rest of us is clearly dem-
onstrated by the fact that an Arahant’s bones can become gen-
uine relics. As for the body elements of people with kilesas: even
the cremated remains of a million such people will never produce
the same results. Thus it is clear that a living Arahant is a human
being who is incomparably different from the rest of us. Just the
fact that his heart is pure makes him stand out in a uniquely
amazing way. His attainment is something that the whole world
should respect and revere.
Other Mysteries
Ordinarily, people’s sense of their own self-importance makes it
difficult for them to believe in someone else’s superiority. Never-
theless, aspiring to be good people, they feel obliged to accept what
is obviously true, for refusing to accept manifestations of genuine
goodness would show a kind of stupidity that defies human dig-
nity. Take Ãcariya Mun, for example. I am unaware of any monk,
novice, or nun, who knew him well and understood what he taught