Ven. Acariya Mun - Spiritual Biography + photos

have presented here cannot be found in the scriptures because
the Dhamma recorded in the texts and the natural principles of
Dhamma arising in the heart are really quite different. To the
extent that the Dhamma in the texts was recorded directly from
the mouth of the Lord Buddha by those possessing a level of purity
equal to his, to that extent, it is pure and unadulterated. But tran-
scribers of the texts in later generations may not have been so
genuinely pure as the original ones, so the overall excellence of
the Dhamma as subsequently recorded may have been moder-
ated by its transcribers. For this reason, it is understandable that
Dhamma arising fresh from the heart would be different from
what is recorded in the scriptures, even though they are both
within the scope of what we consider “Dhamma”.
“I have no more doubts concerning the question I rather stu-
pidly asked you. Still, such stupidity does have its own benefits, for
had I not made a stupid inquiry, I would not have heard your saga-
cious reply. Not only have I sold my stupidity today, but I have also
bought a lot of wisdom. You might also say that I’ve discharged a
load of ignorance to acquire a wealth of wisdom.
“I do have one other question though. After the Lord Buddha’s
disciples took leave of him to go out and practice on their own, they
returned to ask his advice when problems arose in the course of
their practice. Once he helped clear up their doubts, they again
returned to their respective locations. What was the nature of
those problems that the Buddha’s disciples sought his advice on?”
Ãcariya Mun replied:
“When someone is available for help with quick, timely
results, people, who by nature prefer to depend on others, will opt
for the shortcut, certain that it is better than trying to go it alone.