Luang Por Liem: The Ways of the Peaceful - Wat Pah Nanachat

We should be determined to look, to know and to see – to see
in a way that doesn’t get trapped in the fetters and bonds created
by the sense of self. Contemplating and investigating, we allow
the sense of self to abate, and eventually be dissolved by
understanding the Three Characteristics. This is an aspect of
“saccadhamma”, the ultimate truth of nature. Aniccata is the state
of not being permanent. Anattata is that aspect of nature which
doesn’t give rise to the burden of conceit. Ultimately, there isn’t
anything that is in a state of true constancy or absolute certainty.
Nothing can be called stable or permanent.
Seeing this will bring a relief from those mind states where
we delight in things and become deluded. The various forms of
ignorance become less. We experience a reduction of heat, a
sobering up from drunkenness, and a relief from dukkha.
When we find that we can relate to things in this way, it
changes us from the ordinary ways experienced by worldly
people, and gives rise to a state that has more valuable qualities,
and feels peaceful and cool. The Buddha taught that we need to
remind ourselves that we now have a different status than
laypeople. We depend upon others for supporting our lives. For
this reason we need to develop ourselves into somebody who
welcomes whatever he is given happily and does not feel like
changing and improving things according to the pull of craving
and ignorance. He puts down these feelings and abides in a state
which is light and grounded in peace – irrespective of whether
what he receives is good or bad. Actually there isn’t anything
good or bad. It is only due to having desires that good and bad
come to be. We have to approach and reflect on things like this,
which means humbling oneself to becoming one who accepts the
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