Meetings with a Dharmar Master : หน้า 112/164

Meetings with a Dharmar Master [With this, he smiles because many of the people in the room are past 50. And they are groaning at the thought that they are passed the meditation stage.] If we can eradicate 50% of our defilements, then we will eventually go to Nibbana. At 60-70% we will become a stream-enterer, at 90% we will become a non-returner, and at 100%, we will become an Arahant. So we need to keep on practicing in order to reach enlightenment. Ignorance, as I have said, is the source of defilement, along with anger and delusion. Feeling is the symptom of defilement. And Anger is the result of defilement; it is not the defilement itself. Our true duty, of course, is to get rid of suffering. Q: How do we get rid of defilement when we have to work and earn a living? A: It all starts with the Right View. There are, of course, side effects of any job. If you look at any occupation – policeman, attorney, judge, fisherman, and so on – every job has its problems. So you have to accept these as facts. Perhaps the problem is fame, or diet, or clothing: each occupation has its own karma. Working and earning a living at the same time challenges most people, but not many jobs have the same advantages as teachers. Teaching gives you the opportunity to create good energy: Helping other people gain knowledge and develop good habits is a gift. With the Right View, and following the Eightfold Noble Path, you will eventually reach Nibbana. It is a circuitous route starting with the Right View, and you as teachers are part of instilling the Right View within your students. No matter how good or bad your students are, you have to show them respect just as they have to show you respect. And you will need to teach this from the very beginning. You will also need to instill in them the desire and importance of only seeing the good in others. You must observe their behavior and their manners, and teach them to observe the good in other people. So you must teach students this, or they will start to concentrate on being critical and looking at the bad things in people. They will start with you. But if you teach them to observe the goodness in other people, they will be the source of respect with other people. Discipline is vital to studying and to student behavior. Basic discipline includes: (1) Showing respect to the teacher and to others, (2) Cleanliness, (3) Punctuality, (4) Keeping the five precepts (no killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, or taking intoxicants), and (5) showing patience for meditation. The people who can model this behavior are, of