FOURTH MEETING
                       Wednesday, 12th June, 1974

                         Questions and Answers


  Q1 M1:
  Yesterday you said that to get rid of anger was difficult, but that
  you would speak about it so that we would understand it well enough.
  Please would you explain it further today.

  A:
  Try and see the fault of anger, then you will be able to drive it
  away. When other people show that they are angry with you, you do not
  like it and you see it as bad; and when you are angry with others your
  behaviour and attitude is bad and the results which come from it are
  bad. But it is probable that you will not feel in yourself that it is
  bad.

  Usually if one knows that something is bad and dangerous to oneself,
  in the future one will not do it; but if one thinks that it is good,
  or if one does not consider the fault of it and one goes on doing it
  because one gives way to the emotion of anger, one will not be able to
  get rid of anger. In fact this will only increase one's anger and make
  it stronger so that it will constantly harass oneself and bring
  trouble and harm to others.


  Q2 M2:
  Sometimes, is it not appropriate for one to show some anger?

  A:
  Anger is "hot" but people tend to think that it is good and they like
  displaying it. If anybody does anything against one's wishes one
  becomes angry and if one does not control one's emotions they get
  stronger and stronger. Have you never felt sometimes that you get
  angry with yourself because you do something which does not keep up
  with the speed of your own mind? The feeling of anger makes one
  troubled (hot), not calm and cool, and the characteristics that
  display anger are not pleasant to see. Letting go and allowing anger
  to arise continually without in any way trying to quell it or get rid
  of it leads to it becoming part of one's character and because this is
  an increasing tendency, from where will one get peace of heart? If
  anger was a fertilizer that one puts round a tree, one should be angry
  when one wants fertilizer for the tree. But if one cannot use it in
  place of fertilizer, or as a fertilizer, yet one still likes to get
  angry, it is not appropriate.


  Q3 M2:
  If one has been treated unjustly, as for instance, if one is blamed
  when one has done nothing wrong, what should one do?

  A:
  You should act appropriately with reason. The Lord said that to act in
  any way which is led by greed, hate or delusion is bad. Again, if
  others do what is wrong and you are in the right and good, then you
  let go of your mad emotions and do to them what is bad, then having
  been good you will become bad also -- which is a bad thing for all
  people who are concerned about virtue. If you want to be a good person
  you must hold back and refrain from anger. Search and think out a way
  that is suitable for you to act towards whoever has done wrong to you
  without acting in such a way that other people would see you letting
  go and becoming a bad person in the same way as the party who has done
  wrong to you.


  Q4 M2:
  If one is angry and does not show it the other party may not be aware
  that one is angry. Should one not therefore react to what they are
  doing with a show of anger so that they do not act in that way again?

  A:
  Displaying anger is not a good thing and you should think out and look
  for a good way of talking together in terms of causes and effects --
  then you can attain valuable results without arousing anything
  blameworthy following from the initial trouble. If there is discussion
  without the emotion of anger you do not bring madness into your speech
  and the other party will understand and be able to accept and agree to
  do what you want willingly. The incident will then improve and not
  flare up and get worse -- like using clean water to wash some dirty
  things -- you can wash them clean and not make them more and more
  dirty. Displaying a demonic face, as you mentioned, is not human, for
  you become demonic as well.


  Q5 M3:
  If one does not show any reaction, how will one be able to restrain
  oneself?

  A:
  If you restrain your heart you can restrain yourself. But generally
  people do not restrain themselves and they like to let go their
  emotions. Scarcely anybody is interested in patiently retraining their
  own anger.

  You must examine yourself thus: "What is it that I like or dislike?
  That which the other party does to me makes me angry and I restrain
  myself and do not display any abnormal behaviour. I investigate so as
  to correct myself by thinking of the way they feel so as to find out
  if I have done anything that would make them angry. I cannot recall
  anything that I may have done so if they are in the wrong I am not in
  the wrong, they make a show of anger but I do not, their heart is
  troubled (hot) within them and other people will see for themselves
  that they are bad, but I do nothing bad." Because you do not show any
  reaction by answering them back you increasingly become an admirable
  person. But nobody admires a person who gets angry, saying that he is
  good because he is clever at getting angry. When one gets angry with
  someone, who is going to admire this and say that one is good because
  one can get angry and because one has got angry with this person?
  Anger is not a good thing, and people everywhere in the world are
  afraid of it and tired of it. Even animals recognize anger and quickly
  try to avoid it and hide from it. They are afraid of anger which is a
  poison more harmful than fire. Anger should therefore not be
  encouraged -- in fact one should look for a way to quench it until
  there is none left.


  Q6 W1:
  Why is it that when one meets some people for the first time one
  immediately feels that one likes them or dislikes them, even though
  they have not yet done anything to one?

  A:
  Anyone who is not dead is likely to have such feelings. Therefore
  it is normal when one sees anything, to have feelings of liking or
  disliking and there is nothing harmful in this, because the nature
  of people who have Kilesas is generally speaking like this
  throughout the world. As long as one does not show it outwardly, it
  will be almost as if nothing has happened.


  Q7 M2:
  Is it better to immediately throw off the dislike for someone or to
  develop friendly feelings (Metta) towards them?

  A:
  If you can throw off the dislike, this is good, or if you can develop
  Metta towards them it is also good, but generally people do neither
  for they go and do things that they should not do.

  If one feels anger for anyone and one dislikes them, and if one sees
  the fault as being in oneself, seeing that it makes one uneasy in
  one's heart, one will get rid of that feeling entirely. Therefore to
  go straight to the point one must before all else examine one's own
  faults or the faults which will arise or have arisen in oneself, then
  get rid of that feeling entirely.

  When one begins to practise this form of Dhamma at first one does not
  understand oneself, one only has feelings about external things and
  one has likes and dislikes. One begins to observe other people and one
  sees how angry people display the characteristics of anger and one
  does not like it. So then one tries not to produce such
  characteristics towards other people. Acting in this way one begins to
  understand one's own Citta. When one does this often one's awareness
  will arise more quickly and awareness of oneself and one's Citta will
  also arise more quickly, so that as soon as one is the recipient of
  someone else's display of anger, in whatever way it may come about,
  one knows oneself and one can quell one's emotions. In this way one
  can get rid of one's defilements (Kilesas) little by little and reduce
  the Dukkha and anxiety in one's own heart.

  Being dissatisfied with anything is nothing but Dukkha, which accords
  with the Dhamma that the Lord taught, but we generally oppose Dhamma
  -- being that which is right, good, and proper -- so we generally find
  Dukkha all the time without feeling any dread of it; and not being in
  dread of it leads us to encounter Dukkha again and again.


  Q8 W2:
  How should one correct the anxiety and agitation that one experiences
  due to an excessive concern for other people?

  A:
  Whatever you do or feel to excess is bad and it is a cause of Dukkha.
  If you are bound to be responsible for someone in a given situation
  and you think about it circumspectly, trying to think out and correct
  any problems which may arise and normally not thinking anything beyond
  what is happening in the present, it will be enough to calm, quell and
  prevent the agitation or anxiety for that person increasing
  excessively. The word "excessive" should  be understood to mean "that
  which is beyond what is sufficient," and this always causes nothing
  but Dukkha.

  In addition, those who are concerned with reasoning about the basic
  meanings of Dhamma should always be wary of this.


  Q9 M3:
  When dislike arises should one use the same method to get rid of it
  that the Ven. Acharn said should be used to get rid of anger?

  A:
  Yes, do it by whatever method gets rid of the disliking. Whichever
  method it is, it will probably be correct for this purpose.


  Q10 M2:
  (This question was virtually the same as question 9.)

  A:
  At this time we have spoken about liking and disliking because they
  have arisen in our discussion and they should be cured in whatever way
  they can be cured. But we have not yet got as far as speaking about
  Kamma and the results of Kamma (Vipaka).


  Q11 W3:
  In doing Samadhi practice by walking Cankama, how should one go about
  doing it correctly?

  A:
  Tan Acharn Mun suggested that there are two factors which should be
  adhered to:

    1) Walking from east to West, or walking at an angle to the East-
       West line (so that the sun does not get in one's eyes).

    2) One sets the Citta to do work of one kind or another and then one
       watches the Citta to make sure that it only does that work, and
       one prevents it from getting distracted and going elsewhere.

       One must look on that work as being the object of one's attention
       (Arammana). For example, one method is to take the raising and
       lowering of one's feet as this object while walking, in which
       case one must do just this, because this is the work that one has
       set the Citta to do. If one uses any other method one will have
       the corresponding object upon which to fix one's attention.

    3) When contemplating Dhamma one should go on until one comes to the
       end of that aspect of Dhamma that one is contemplating and one
       should have mindfulness associated with it in every bodily action
       and position.

  The various forms of practising this Dhamma do not in fact conflict
  with each other. But a person who practises is likely to be prejudiced
  and to see his own methods as being right and other people's methods
  as having no value, so then quarrels start, or they boastfully say
  "Whose is the better way? It is better to do it our way." Another
  person who takes it up and uses that method may find it unsuitable to
  him and it can be wrong and unsatisfactory. When one takes up and for
  some time practises a method using which other people have practised
  and gained good results, it can happen that one gets no good results
  for oneself. Therefore the practice of the Dhamma depends upon the
  individual characteristics (Upanissaya) of each person for one person
  will like it this way and another will like it that way.


  Q12 M2:
  If one has used one method for a long time and later on someone comes
  and recommends another method, should one continue using one's old
  method or not?

  A:
  If you have gained skill in using any given method and if you are
  satisfied with it and have gained the results of calm and a peaceful
  heart, you can go on using that method. In practising this method of
  meditation, to begin with the Dhamma object of attention (Arammana
  Dhamma) is of one sort, but as one practises regularly going on and on
  the Citta will change its awareness of itself. [*] Therefore to begin
  with one must give the heart a basis to hold on to for the Citta to
  become calm initially. Later on one may change the method one uses,
  but the method by which one has gained results is important and one
  should hold on to it as a basis in one's practice. One must however
  not vacillate back and forth listening readily and believing easily
  when anyone says that this or that is good and following what they say
  even though one gets no results.

        [*] When practising Samadhi the Citta will be in one state, but
            when one turns to the practice of wisdom (panna) it does not
            keep the object of Samadhi (Samadhi Arammana) but turns to
            an object of wisdom (Panna Arammana) with many changes.
            However, when it becomes necessary to take a rest in calm,
            the Citta should be able to revert to the practice of
            Samadhi as before. (Answer to a question asked of Ven.
            Acharn Maha Boowa to clarify the meaning of this sentence.)


  Q13 M4:
  Doing the method of paying attention to the feeling of rising and
  falling of the abdomen as one breathes in and out gives rise to
  strange feelings. Why is this?

  A:
  If the Citta is firmly paying attention to the rising and falling of
  the abdomen there is nothing to arouse such strange feelings. But
  because the Citta is off guard it goes away and gets to know about
  whatever is in the direction where it goes. You must make it return to
  the original object of attention and make the Citta do its work just
  associated with that object. If you release the Citta, letting it go
  continually wherever it likes, it will never stop deceiving its owner
  in all sorts of ways. Finally you will not be able to find any firm
  basis or anchor for the Citta and its basis will become adrift.


  Q14 W4:
  In doing Anapanasati one keeps one's interest on the breath going in
  and out, but if one hears a sound from outside the watching of the
  breath gets lost. I was told that if I heard any sound I should think,
  "Hearing, hearing" and then go on doing the practice, but I feel that
  it is difficult for me to enter Samadhi.

  A:
  That method that you talked of at first is good and there is no need
  to increase the burden more than necessary. In other words get the
  Citta to stay with the in and out breathing.

  For the latter part of your question in which the burden of the Citta
  is increased such that as soon as a sound is heard the Citta must
  "Know, know" and then return and set up the practice as before, if
  there is something which breaks into the practice often your Citta
  will be too slow and it will never be able to keep doing the work
  which it should be doing. When one is at the stage of a beginner in
  doing practice, the Citta still has not much strength and to increase
  the burden of the Citta greatly is not good. It is like getting a
  child to do work which must be gradually explained in each of its
  aspects. If one explains how to do too much of it all at once the work
  is too difficult, then laziness will arise and the child will probably
  dawdle over the work. The Citta is like this.


  Q15 W2:
  Can one contemplate parts of the body while walking Cankama?

  A:
  To begin with one wants to get the heart calm. If the heart has
  attained a state of calm, then as soon as the Citta has withdrawn from
  the calm one can set the Citta to contemplate and to develop
  understanding step by step. It may go on beyond one's own
  understanding and one must not then be anxious about whether the Citta
  will be calm or not, but press on with the contemplation further.

  This work of the Citta is firstly for the attainment of calm and
  secondly for getting rid of the defilements (Kilesas) internally. But
  when one is contemplating so as to attain understanding and skill in
  the parts of the body, mindfulness -- that which controls the
  contemplation -- is essential, just as much as it is when doing
  Samadhi practice to attain calm. Mindfulness must be present to
  supervise the work all the time.


  Q16 W2:
  Which aspect of the above two is contemplation of the body?

  A:
  Contemplating internally and externally so as to get rid of the
  defilements when done consistently is work of "Citta Bhavana" and is
  insight (Vipassana). If one is able to contemplate, enthusiasm for
  doing the contemplation arises of itself. If one does this a great
  deal one will have to turn from it to rest the Citta, making the Citta
  calm by dwelling in Samadhi for a while. Therefore one must first of
  all practise Samadhi for calming the Citta and one must become skilled
  at it so as to increase the strength of the Citta to practise "Knowing
  with Insight" (Vipassana Nana) and also to use Samadhi as the method
  of resting the Citta so as to continue the work until
  super-mindfulness (Maha-Sati) and super-wisdom (Maha-Panna) [*] arise.

        [*] Acharn Maha Boowa has said elsewhere that Maha-Sati and
            Maha-Panna can be taken to mean "automatic" mindfulness and
            wisdom.


  The Citta will then have courage and ability and it will have
  mindfulness and wisdom to get rid of the defilements -- and this is
  what makes up "Magga" (The Path). When one has reached this stage, all
  laziness will have disappeared, one will be able to do Citta Bhavana
  (meditation) so that one forgets time and sits for long periods and
  then one attains results which are of high value. When one has sat for
  a long time one then walks while contemplating so as to change the
  posture. One uses super-mindfulness and super-wisdom to go on curing
  doubts and problems until there are no more defilements left to cure.
  One will then understand by oneself that the Citta and Dhamma have
  penetrated each other. Thus the way of practice can help to arouse
  knowledge and understanding of the Citta this way.

  The Citta is a very important thing in a person. For one has already
  been born and the Citta is the entity which has caused one to be born
  as a person, good or bad and high or low. When the Citta is the chief
  cause of this one must rely upon those things which influence the
  Citta for one's future state. If it develops well one can rise up
  until one reaches the stage of "Sugato" -- one who has great
  happiness. But if the heart accumulates bad things, even without
  knowing that they are bad, the results which one gets will be bad all
  the time.

  If one practises Dhamma well there will arise a sense of well-being in
  one's heart. People generally do not know the reason why we receive
  Dukkha nor when we will be free from it because we are not aware that
  we have done bad things nor when we did them. We just see the results
  of them which arise as Dukkha at the present moment.

  But in this case we ought to try and choose the work for the Citta to
  do. If it is evil and "Akusala" we should avoid it completely. If we
  are used to doing such things we should try and find a way to abstain
  from them and we should promote what has value and is good even though
  it may be difficult to do. Thus we gradually train ourselves going on
  like this until we become used to it, meanwhile using wisdom to drive
  us on. But lazy people and those who do not like what is good are no
  use at all because they have no wisdom to drive them on.

  If the people love what is good, wisdom compels them to do good until
  the Citta is used to it. Then results of calm, peace of heart and
  happiness will come. It may also happen that something strange and
  wonderful of a different kind arises spontaneously in the Citta. We
  are not normally acquainted with such wonderful things, but they will
  arise from the practice of what is good -- the important thing being
  the practice of Citta Bhavana (meditation).

  As for the above good person he has only virtue. He is not distracted
  and he is not at cross purposes with Dhamma, with anybody, nor with
  anything, as far as and including his own heart. But because his heart
  does not have any power of control to make the heart, body, and speech
  go in the right direction -- the direction in which it should go,
  which leads to those results that bring happiness -- he must purify
  and cure his Citta and try to get it to work using the methods of
  meditation practice (Citta Bhavana) which causes the bad things within
  him to disintegrate. Those things which are dignified and noble will
  then develop and increase in the heart, which is appropriate to the
  value of the Citta -- which by way of nature has a very high value.

  If one trains one's Citta one will agree with one's own Citta before
  anyone else [*] and if one practises and follows the way that the Lord
  Buddha taught one will be a clever person. But if one practises and
  follows the way of someone who does not truly know, it is like the
  blind and foolish leading the blind -- they cannot walk the right way
  to reach the goal, the end of the road which is desired.

        [*] In other words one's Citta will tell one how to do things
            and what to believe more surely than any other person.


  If one is not prepared to let oneself be led by someone who knows the
  way, then the more one acts in this way the more stupid one becomes,
  the more one lacks cleverness and one will not see those results which
  one desires.

  Cleverness must depend on mindfulness and wisdom in looking for
  reasons. People in this world do not become good on their own without
  doing anything; they must rely upon learning and they must have
  training. Training raises the Citta higher and if one does not have
  training one's Citta cannot go higher and the defilements will pull
  the Citta down until it cannot escape. But the Citta which has trained
  well can get rid of the Kilesas and this has the highest value.


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