30. Juni 2006 16:19 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ich wollte dich noch etwas wissen lassen. Vor einigen Tagen habe ich etwas gelesen, das für mich sehr viel verändert hat und einen äußerst interessanten Prozess ausgelöst hat. Ich möchte diese paar gelesenen Seiten also mit dir teilen:

People have worldly passions which lead them into delusion and suffering. There are five ways to emancipate themselves from the bond of worldly passions.

First, they should have right ideas of things, ideas that are based on careful observation, and understand causes and effects and their significance correctly. Since the cause of suffering is rooted in the mind’s desires and attachments, and since desire and attachment are related to mistaken observations by an ego-self, neglecting the significance of the law of cause and effect, and since it is from these wrong observations, there can be peace only if the mind can be rid of these worldly passions.

Second, people can get rid of thesevmistaken observations and resulting worldly passions by careful and patient mind-control. With efficent mind-control they can avoid desires arising from the stimulation of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and the subsequent mental process and, by doing so, cut off the very root of all worldly passsions.

Third, they should have correct ideas with regard to the proper use of all things. That is, with regard to articles of food and clothing, they should not think of them in relation to comfort and pleasure, but only in their realtion to the body’s needs. Clothing is necessary to protect hte body against extremes of heat and cold, and to conceal the shame of the body; food is necessary for the nourishment of the body while it is training for Enlightment and Buddhahood. Worldly passions can not arise through such thinking.

Fourth, people should learn endurance; they should learn to endure the discomfort of heat and cold, hunger and thirst; they should learn to be patient when receiving abuse and scorn; for it is the practise that quenches the fire of worldly passions which is burning up their bodies.

Fifth, people should learn too see and so avoid all danger. Just as a wise man keeps away from wild horses and mad dogs, so on should not make friends with evil mon, nor should he go to places that wise man avoid. If one practises caution and prudence, the fire of worldly passions which is burning in their vitals will die down.