Eliminate all your kilesas and nothing can affect your heart at all

Question : I was taught by one teacher to practice open awareness of whatever comes to mind; that means I just accept and note whatever arises in the mind—not thinking, not reflecting, not judging. Is this enough to gain enlightenment? Is there anything else I need to do to make my practice complete?

Tan Ajahn: Can you accept everything when it happens, without any reaction? Can you accept when somebody beats you up? Can you accept when somebody takes your wife away? Can you accept when somebody cheats you or takes your money away? If you can, then you are already enlightened. If you can’t, then remain on the path and continue to meditate.

Question : There is awareness that stands apart from all the sense consciousness. It doesn’t move or change. From the time this became clear to me, I did not actively practice concentration as the three characteristics constantly display themselves in all the perceived phenomena. Kilesas can still squeeze in the heart when they arise but they don’t linger for long. Could Tan Ajahn comment on this?

Tan Ajahn: You should eliminate all your kilesas and nothing can affect your heart at all, even death, sickness, or whatever might happen to the people you love or like; when anything happens, your mind should remain peaceful and calm. That is how an enlightened person will react. He will remain calm at all times, regardless of whatever might happen.

Question : At times I use the mantra Buddho to suppress the feeling of fear or guilt. Is this wrong? If yes, what is the right thing to do?

Tan Ajahn: If you can use it to stop your fear, it is OK, but it is only a temporary measure because the next time when you meet fear, you will become fearful again and have to use the mantra again. But if you want to completely get rid of your fear, then you have to look at the cause of your fear.

Normally we are afraid because we don’t want to die: we have this desire to have the body live forever. But we know the truth that the body, sooner or later, will have to die. So if you want to become completely fearless, you have to accept that the body dies. When you can do this, then you are no longer fearful. You are ready to die anytime.

So whatever happens to the body, you will not be afraid. This is the way to fix the problem permanently. You have to use vimaṁsā, or paññā or vipassanā. You have to see that the body is impermanent—subject to aging, sickness, and death.

By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto