August 28, 2546 B.E.
Diversity Ends When the Dhammakaya Is Attained.
Today is the 46th day of this Rains-Retreat. And in less than one and a-half months, the Rains-Exit Day will be here.This Rains-Retreat has been designated as the season for attaining the Dhamma or the Dhammakaya. The Dhammakaya is the Kaya or the Body Leading to Enlightenment. The Dhammakaya is all-knowing, fully awake,and gloriously joyful. He can be found inside every human being on earth regardless of his race or creed, whether or not he knows about the Dhammakaya or believes in His existence.
The Dhammakaya is gloriously beautiful because He possesses all the thirty-two special physical attributes of the Perfect Man. Every Dhammakaya looks exactly the same. Everyone’s Dhammakaya looks exactly the same. He is the one thing that every human being has in common with each other. There is no difference among the Dhammakaya unlike human beings that differ as a result of their races.Whenever sameness appears, diversity will end. It means that when everyone on earth can attain the Dhammakaya, that is the time that diversity in terms of race, creed, etc., will disappear.With good intention and from time to time, a campaign for equality among men has been waged when in fact equality is not possible anywhere on earth. Not only in the Human Realm, but in the Celestial Realm, there is no equality either. Some countries tried to make everyone equal by keeping everyone one poor. And yet, there was no real equality, since the ruling class was rich. Even if everyone was wealthy, there would still be no equality because there would always be a difference in terms of the level of wealth.
Therefore, diversity exists in every heart and diversity leads to division and conflicts. Why does he have it and I don’t? Why do I have less than he? Why is he handsome and I am homely? Why is his complexion lovely but mine is not? Why is he tall and I am short? Why am I fat and he is thin? Why does he drive a Mercedes Benz and I drive a Tuk Tuk? Such diversity causes division, inferiority complex, and conflicts and so some people use these reasons to campaign for equality. But how can there be equality when the wants and needs of people are not the same and everyone is still governed by the Law of Kamma? When the deeds performed by each person are different, the consequences of those deeds will naturally be different. And these differences are the real causes of inequality.
But there is one place where sameness is present. When everyone can attain the Dhammakaya, diversity will automatically disappear. People are unhappy because of diversity. However, it does not mean that having attained the Dhammakaya, a fat person will become handsome or a thin person will become a movie star. What will happen, however, is that any unhappiness which is caused by diversity will completely disappear from one’s mind. Those who have attained the Dhammakaya during the Lord Buddha’s time such as the Arahats came in different sizes, shapes, and looks. Some were fat. Some were thin. Some were dark. Some were fair. Some were members of the Kshatriya Caste. Some were members of the Brahmin Caste. Some were members of the Vaishya Caste. Some were members of the Shudra Caste. Some belonged to the Untouchables.
They were all acutely aware of diversity. However, diversity disappeared once they were able to attain the Dhammakaya and the defilements which gave rise to diversity were eradicated. Therefore, sameness has its virtue because it enables true peace to happen on earth. Once again, this Rains-Retreat is the season for attaining the Dhammakaya. The rest of the world may be slumbering still, but we must be the first to be awake so that the rest of the world will also become awake. One may not yet be like the midday sun, but one can certainly be like a small lamp which lights up dark corners. When more and more small lamps come together, the light they give will become brighter and brighter. Do Not Keep Your Diligence at Bay You need to be extra diligent during this Rains-Retreat in terms of meditation practice. Deploy all of your diligence. Do not keep it at bay.
Laziness can be solved by diligence.We are now half-way through this Rains-Retreat. And this Rains-Retreat has beeen designated as the season for attaining the Dhammakaya. Everyone needs to endeavor to practice meditation earnestly even as one spends time earning a living, going to school, looking after the household or whatever else. Do not go a day without practicing meditation. One needs to check and see if one is doing one’s very best and if one’s effort is bearing any fruit.Whoever can attain the Dhammakaya deserves our congratulations. For those who cannot yet attain the Dhammakaya, the latter half of this Rains-Retreat must be spent practicing meditation as earnestly as possible.
If others can attain the Dhammakaya, then so can you. The instant you can bring your mind to a complete standstill in the center of your body, that is the instant that you will attain the Dhammakaya. This can happen anytime. Many practitioners have already been able to keep their minds still and quiet starting from occasional stillness and quietness to a longer period of stillness and quietness to a complete standstill in the center of their body at all times as if their mind was glued to the seventh base in the center of their body. If you truly love yourself, you must make the time and effort to practice keeping your mind still and quiet.
When a person dies, no one can help him except himself. One needs to be self-reliant. One needs to learn to be self-reliant while one is still young and healthy. When one is ill and weak, it is hardly the time to endeavor to practice meditation earnestly because one will not be able to do it. One needs to be like a sportsman who has trained for a hundred days or more for the day that he will either win or lose. A runner trains all year long but the race lasts only minutes. Therefore, one needs to train hard if one truly loves one’s self.
Loving one’s self and being selfish are not the same thing. When one loves one’s self, one endeavors to increase one’s purity. But when one is selfish, one endeavors to increase one’s impurity.When a person is born, he comes to the world alone to become a part of a family and community. When a person dies, he departs the world alone. Members of the same family and community go their separate ways after they die. It all depends on how much or how little time and effort each person makes to perform wholesome deeds. Each person has his own destination in the hereafter depending on the level of his wholesomeness. Therefore, it is important for everyone to make this Rains-Retreat the season for attaining the Dhammakaya.
