and in all of one’s conversations and social interactions. Inatten-
tive, undisciplined behavior is a habit of the kilesas, leading to
unwholesome thoughts, and thus, perpetuating the cycle of birth
and death. Those wishing to escape from the cycle of rebirth
should avoid such deplorable habits. They merely lead deeper into
the abyss, eventually causing one to become that most undesira-
ble of persons – a wretched samaõa. No one wishes to partake of
wretched food; no one wishes to reside in a wretched house; and
no one wishes to dress in wretched clothes, or even look at them.
Generally, people detest and shun wretched things – how much
more so a wretched person with a wretched mind. But the most
abhorrent thing in the world is a wretched samaõa who is ordained
as a Buddhist monk. His wretchedness pierces the hearts of good
and bad people alike. It pierces the hearts of all devas and brah-
mas without exception. For this reason, one should strive to be a
true samaõa exercising extreme care to remain mindful and self-
disciplined at all times.
Of all the many things that people value and care for in the
world, a person’s mind is the most precious. In fact, the mind is
the foremost treasure in the whole world, so be sure to look after
it well. To realize the mind’s true nature is to realize Dhamma.
Understanding the mind is the same as understanding Dhamma.
Once the mind is known, then Dhamma in its entirety is known.
Arriving at the truth about one’s mind is the attainment of Nib-
bãna. Clearly, the mind is a priceless possession that should never
be overlooked. Those who neglect to nurture the special status
that the mind has within their bodies will always be born flawed,
no matter how many hundreds or thousands of times they are
reborn. Once we realize the precious nature of our own minds,
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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