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

In the beginning of the practice, we always do things
according to the standards and rules, similar to a fighter preparing
to enter the ring. First, he trains strictly according to the rules and
regulations. But when he really faces the fight, he sometimes goes
beyond the rules. But in our case, everything must remain within
our general principles – principles that aim at peace and cessation
and lead us to freedom from danger and enmity. For determining
these principles, the Buddha gave us the criteria:
Any Dhamma that reduces the desires that stain our
hearts won’t deviate from the principles of the
Buddha’s teachings.
There are many skilful means and tools in the Buddha’s
teachings for correcting our actions, for destroying and
abandoning confusion and unpeaceful, unhappy states in oneself.
These tools are needed, and none of them transgress the general
principles that the Buddha proclaimed. They are the Buddha’s
recommendations, so we should put them into practice.
Our mind usually likes to get carried away with having fun. If
we find ourselves infatuated with amusement, take it as important
and hold on to it, the Buddha recommends grounding ourselves in
an attitude of alertness. Amusement is a snare. It can drag us onto
the path of foolishness. When we are infatuated and crazy about
something, we can go wrong anywhere. Whether in the hidden or
in the open, it’s all the same – it’s really like when one is drunk.
People get drunk with their bodies due to the perception that
the body doesn’t have illnesses, afflictions, pains and fevers
threatening it. They think they won’t die, won’t degenerate and
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