is devoid of all forms of malice. My every activity is governed by
the Dhamma of absolute purity. Devas, on the other hand, pos-
sess only wholesome intentions and a sense of integrity – quali-
ties that are not really all that amazing. The Lord Buddha and the
Arahants possess an integrity that is pure because the Dhamma
in their hearts is absolutely pure. No living being in the universe
can possibly imagine just how supremely amazing such a state of
purity is. The kind of integrity that devas observe is something
that exists within the sphere of conventional reality. And the
knowledge and the practice of it are well within the range of all
living beings. The Dhamma integrity of a pure heart, however, is
the exclusive property of the Buddha and the Arahants. No one
who has yet to realize that attainment can possibly comprehend
it or put it into practice. Whether or not I myself possess an abso-
lutely pure level of integrity is not a matter to boast about. But
please keep in mind that, in contrast to the Dhamma integrity of
the Lord Buddha and the Arahants, the moral integrity that devas
observe is neither exceptional or unique.’ ”
Had Ãcariya Mun addressed these words to human beings
instead of devas, the humans would probably have felt embar-
rassed – or something even worse. But the devas were keen to hear
his Dhamma, and so listened with intense interest to what he said.
They were able to realize the mistake they made in taking liber-
ties with him out of their ignorance of the situation. They were
more than glad to carefully guard their conduct after that. They
weren’t angered or offended in the least. Ãcariya Mun said that
such admirable behavior was truly commensurate with their lofty
plane of existence.
This brief example should serve as food for thought about
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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