What is “Sri” in Lanka?

0:00Good morning. He was very customary for the Buddha. When he arrived, had a congregation of his monks to ask a particular question. That question was before my arrival. What was it you were talking about? It's a very poignant question. So, this conversation appears many a time in the Suptus.

1:04And often the monks would reply. Giving a summary or a brief of what they've been discussing between themselves before the Buddha's arrival. And then typically the invitation would be for the Buddha to expound on that particular subject. And then from there on, the conversation or the sermon would continue. For the Buddha to be able to do that, of course, all those conversations were spiritual in nature. They were useful, they were productive. Now, you try to read my mind.

2:06So, typically the Buddha would be informed of that conversation and then he would make that the subject of his discourse. And then usually what he would do is enlighten the gathering on the various aspects of that subject. Usually the monks would only have seen one aspect of it. Sometimes may be a mundane aspect. But the Buddha would add a lot of color. He would add a lot of gravitas. He would add another dimension, sometimes several dimensions. And then ultimately he would say, this perspective of looking at that, you can only be availed in the presence of the Tatagatha.

3:09There is the education where he has admonished his monks for wasting their time talking about this that and the other, which in his supreme wisdom he felt was of no use to their salvation. I wondered what he might have said if he were right here today. I don't know what you were talking about. But if he had arrived, hopefully, he would have not needed to give you an admonishing. Hopefully he would have been able to give you a good discourse, a good sermon. Whether that is the truth or not, the jury is out on that.

4:15Because I appreciate that I should have been here by 830, or at least shortly after. But I asked for a discussion with a few individuals just to brief chat. And so I realized that on my arrival it's shortly past 9, meaning you would have been here for the best part of a half an hour. What were you waiting for? If you are part-time, mid-bhāna practitioners, then I would understand it if you would say, if you would reply to that question by saying, we were waiting for the Swami Nuhānsa to arrive to deliver us a sermon to help enlighten the Rajagirians

5:15as the invitationalists just made to me by the Good Gentleman. However, if you had been mindful, and I'm sure you must have, if you'd been mindful, if you'd remembered your purpose of where I've come in here, and if you're very careful about how you spend this precious life, this precious time that you have left, then you'll be very careful not to waste a single moment. Because it will not be true to think that you're waiting for me to give you a sermon so that you can start practicing. How many sermons have I given you by now? More than enough, not a hundred and fifty, more than enough, more than you need, that's how many sermons I have given you by now.

6:17I know the rest of the week is pretty hectic, it pulls you in every direction, you have your duties, obligations, responsibilities, all of that to fulfill, but Sundays are your special days, at least Sunday mornings. So I want you to really get into another mood when Sunday morning comes. When you go to bed on Saturday night, make a determination, tomorrow is my holiday. Holiday is your holiday. So tomorrow is my holiday. From the moment I wake up and open my eyes in the morning, as much of that day as much as I possibly can, I will invest that day, that time, that life, in my spiritual upliftment, in my spiritual practice. Because that's all you have, ladies and gentlemen. That's all you have.

7:19As much as I'd love for you to have the rest of the week, reality does not agree with my wishes. Therefore, tomorrow is a Monday. And you know what Monday's are like. Remember what we used to call the guy we didn't like at the office? In every office there's a Monday. Isn't there? The chat that no one likes, they call him Monday. I think you know why. Second least like Tuesday's. And then comes to Wednesday. Then it comes Friday feeling eventually. You're looking forward to the weekend. And then you call it TGIF. Thank God. It's Friday.

8:22Really what you should be thinking is TGIF. Like the Saturday or Sunday. Because that's when something useful really happens in your lives. Rest of the week, you're just wiling away your life. Until it comes to an end, we all must do something and gauge ourselves in one thing or the other. But this is the only productive time in your life. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner you will start putting this time to maximum use. So that's what we're here for. So shall I ask you, what were you talking about just before my arrival? Or shall we just keep that part and get into the precepts? Let's put our bring our palms together then. To make our reverential veneration to the perfect one.

9:26The undefeated one, the unbanked pushed one. The supremely enlightened one. And as we take this moment to display our respect and our basins, there are reminders as that this is more than just a demonstration of our piety. This is a pleasure for our allegiance to the ultimate and unconditional happiness. To the part that gets us there and the individual practice that we must all undertake, the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha. These are the three noble gems. To which we make our veneration, this is an acceptance that this is the only refuge that we can take and that is available to us, to achieve our salvation. There is also then undertake the precepts. As a commitment, a personal commitment to practice our virtue,

10:27to help us achieve that ultimate goal. And before we commence the sermon, we will take a moment to invite the countless sentient beings out there. Not again as a mere mark of our duty, but as an acknowledgement of our debt of gratitude that we owe to all of them, for among them our parents of the past, our siblings of our past teachers and many others, each and every one of them who've done something to help better our lives in one way or the other. And as we are now aware of the truth, the dumb to help us attain ultimate bliss of Nibbana, it is our responsibility to extend that opportunity to all of them and that is why we make this invitation. To join us, to be amongst us and to witness this merit or is deed, to rejoice in those merits and to make a firm resolve, to attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.

11:29So with that in mind, let us make a start to today's proceedings. Please, Chant and Namaskara, along with me. While Guru Hanuman is still at the monastery, I gave myself another opportunity to

12:33take a meditation retreat this week. But I decided I would show up today because I didn't feel like you would let me off two weeks very close to one another. So the invitation came again as it did the last time, as to whether some other Swami Nohansi could come and do the sermon. And it is not that they cannot, it is not that they are any less capable. So I don't want you to take it the wrong way. I refuse the very kind invitation because I feel you are not ready yet to accept that your teacher is the Mahasangha.

13:35Little birds tell me that you are still expecting this Swami Nohansi to show up every Sunday. This Swami Nohansi has an expiry date. The Mahasangha doesn't. If you go shopping for bread at the supermarket, not if that when you go shopping for bread, and there are two laws, one with an expiry date very close to today, the other is a little bit more time, which one do you tend to buy? The one expiring nearest or the one with a little bit more time left. The second one right? So you want something that will last you a long time,

14:35even when bread is concerned. So if you are so careful about your choice of bread, that you want longevity, you want it to be evergreen, you want perpetuity, then why do you settle for something that has an expiry date? The Mahasangha has no expiry date. One thing I can say for certain, for as long as you are in need of Nibbana, the Mahasangha will be there. How can I say that for sure? If you are in need of Nibbana, the Mahasangha will always be there. How can I give you such a bold claim? How can I make such a bold claim and give you such a strong assurance? If you are in need of Nibbana,

15:36then you will be in the Mahasangha. If no one else is there, you will be there, won't you? If you want Nibbana, what do you say? As you more or the other monks have left the sarsana, they have disrobed, no other monks left. But you want Nibbana. And the Buddha has said that if there are no more disciples, no one left to continue carrying on the sarsana, then the sarsana will perish. And if you are dead serious about Nibbana, what will you do next? All the other monks are leaving robes tomorrow. What will you do next? Good riddance is that what you will decide. All this while we have to feed them.

16:37We have to cloth them, we have to share to them, we have to treat them. Now, good riddance. If you are serious about Nibbana, and there are no more disciples of the Buddha left, to carry on the pattern of the sarsana, what would you do? What would you do? You would have to come into the sarsana. Of course, that's what you would have to do. If you are serious about Nibbana, then you would have to carry the burden of the sarsana. I'm not prepared to let the sarsana perish. That's why I came into the sarsana. I'm prepared to carry some of that weight on my shoulders as well. I'm not going to say that I can carry all of it. But if I want the sarsana, then I have to sustain the sarsana.

17:38If you want your family to be happy, who's got to pull the biggest part of the weight? If you want your family to be happy, who's going to have to pull the biggest weight? You, yeah. If you are in a relationship and you want that relationship to last, who's the one individual on whom you can have 100% confidence? Will commit themselves to that relationship? The other person or yourself? Indeed. So if you want a relationship to last and you must give 100% of yourself, well then, if you want the sarsana to last, because you acknowledge that the sarsana is the only place where I can find my salvation, if you want that sarsana to last and the sarsana to thrive, then who must be pulling the weight and who must be putting themselves into it? Who?

18:38Someone? Someone? Compliment it. Someone? Yes. As long as there are people who are bold enough to go to sarsana and, you know, wear those robes and leave the austere life, and do the practice and come and give us a sermon once a week, that's enough, isn't it? As long as we get our sermons, as long as we have someone to do our pence a bullet, when my mother has gone, my father has gone, my siblings have gone, when I am gone, I have someone to do the pence a bullet, as long as they have someone to do the tumas of that. That's enough, isn't it? That's what we need the sarsana for. To get a good pence a bullet. So for those unfamiliar with what a pence a bullet is,

19:41upon the demise of a member of your family, it's the spiritual service that you do to transfer marries to them. In Sri Lanka we call it the pence a bullet. And typically it is administered and conducted by members of the clergy, monks in this case, if you are a Buddhist, you come from Buddhist background. What use do you make of the sarsana? I mean, I have to ask this question because I need you to have a clear cut answer to this question. What use is sarsana to you? Is it so that you can get your pence a bullet? Because by last, I think at last count, they were around 22,000 monks in the entirety of Sri Lanka. I think the Sri Lankan population is around 20 million.

20:41Sorry? 20? 22 million. So of 22 million we have around 20,000 monks. You work out the number and tell me what proportion of that it is. How much of 22 million is 20,000? Or 22,000? One hundred? 32,000? 220,000? One hundred to one thousand. One thousand, isn't it? It's one thousand, yeah. So for every thousand people there's one monk. So the ratios are not right here. You don't deserve one of me. So you deserve like one fifth of me. So how come you get me once a week?

21:41That's not fair. I'm serious. You don't deserve one of me and one whole of me. You only deserve one-twentyth of me because what you're here, about two hundred, three hundred people. And not even that many, two hundred people, approximately. You were there? Not even that many, right? Ten. I would say seating. Two hundred. So you will take around two hundred people. So if one monk per thousand, that for two hundred people, what proportion of me do you deserve? One, one fifth. Hmm, take my arm. Okay. So today's arms give me.

22:43You don't deserve any more than that. Because if you want more than that, then you must give more than that. To get more than that, you must give more than that. So for you to be able to enjoy your good, jolly life at home, enjoying your luxuries, enjoying your materialistic lives, and your, you know, your worldly life, watching TV, watching films, and going on trips, and spending time with your friends and parties, and all the rest of that, more or less, more or more than more or less. So more or less than more or more, which one you work that out. But when the possible happens, Sarminvasa has to be there for that. And when the mother is pregnant with a child, then Sarminvasa has to be there to chant the Anguli Malabiri.

23:46That's why we came into roads. That is why we came into roads. To make your deliveries easier. And to bless your houses when you move into a new house. And to precept you at the beginning of every event, and to bless your houses when you move into a new house. And to bless you at the beginning of every event, that's why, that's why we came into roads. See, one for every thousand people in the land of the, who, who the, the land of the, who the, one for every thousand people. You think that's a fair ratio? So then we must import Sarminvasa. Because whatever we don't produce enough of what do we do?

24:51Come on Sri Lankans, speak up. When we don't produce enough coconuts, what do we do? When we don't produce enough rice, what do we do? When we don't produce enough tea, what do we do? When we don't produce enough months, what do we do? Import them. Just wholesale import them. That's the simplest thing to do. Place a nod on Ali Baba or something. So he might get second hand ones on eBay. And then there's the end of shipment of monks. Enough to do our ponds of cooler, enough to do our blessings. That is what the sarsan is there for, isn't it? You know joking aside though, isn't that what it is? We come now. In many places across this land.

25:52And our granted you all it is a bit different, little bit. But the masses, so last week I was on retreat as I was telling you. And then, during our retreat what we do is we go and pin the path in and around the retreat center. So this location is not accessible to our devotees yet, but in the future we are hoping to do some programs there. I'll let you know when it's ready. And I was quite surprised. It has always been like this, but on this occasion it really struck me. How many people walk up to you with money when we go and pin the path?

26:52I don't blame them because it's not that it was not they who had the first thought. They would have seen someone else do it. We don't tend to learn by ourselves, we learn watching others do things. I'd say seven out of ten people, that many, seventy percent of all people who first approach us, they come to us with money, even when we have our arms pulled. And that wasn't even the most shocking part. The real shocker, was that most of them came with hundred groupy notes, one or two. Just think about that mentality.

27:55Just think about that mentality. In this day and age, a hundred groupy notes, you might not even pick it up. If you see one line on the floor, you might not even pick it up. That's the value of a hundred groupy notes these days. You go back a few decades potentially, I'm not even talking about the suburbs, I'm talking about Kalambo. Three around Mathekoda, that area. So Kota, No Mark, No Panepity, and those areas. And actually we go out, not into people's homes, not along these roads, people's homes, we go away, it's the heart of the city. It's the hustle and bustle, it's thriving, businesses and people are there. People are there spending money or money. Money is there, that's where the money is.

29:02I remember the very first time as a monk, I went out on Pindapatha, and the first person that came to me with some money. I remember that occasion very vividly. And I thought to myself, what a pity. What a pity it's come to that. And true, there may be some members of the clergy who go out on, I don't know what the word is, but that when they spend a path or pound a path. For pounds, not Pindapatha, because Pindapatha is a her, food. Maybe in some practices, they do that, maybe in some traditions, they do that, but conventionally it has not been like that, not certainly not in the book this time.

30:02And those were things that we were forbidden from accepting. One of the precepts, in the ten precepts, is to not accept money for person use. You come and offer a pity career, and you put sometimes money, and will option so on. So I'm also going to put this hand and make a blessing to you, but that is not for my personal use. I don't accept any for my personal because I don't need money for my personal use, because I'm at the mercy of my devotees. I'm at the mercy of both my devotees and the merits that I have that. My devotees are the environment, and my merits are the causes. So when these two things come together, if food is what I need now, then food is what will be offered. If a robe is what I need now,

31:02a robe will be offered, but if I don't have the merits, then even if I go to the richest household, nothing will happen. I won't receive anything. I'll give you a beautiful combination of those two things, causes and conditions. Maybe we'll talk about that later on. But I still remember vividly that the location where someone came up to me with money and it really didn't know what to say, because we are not expected to speak much when we go and be in the bathroom. We remain silent, we take very few words if any at all. And if something's offered, we don't need, we just hold our hand to say, to indicate that it is not necessary. And sometimes when you do that, people still say, no, no, it's okay up here, you can keep it. I mean, once again, I'm not taking anything away from them.

32:02I'm not suggesting that they are bad, wild or downright evil. I'm just saying, this is what has become. We were not like this. People knew when the Swami Nuh has evolved up, you know, now I feel like, Mahindra is going on Pindapati in Australia. Oh, Mahindra is going on Pindapati in Germany. But we were not like that. This was part of our culture. To see Swami Nuh has is going on Pindapati. Because Pindapati was not something that was, that happened for the Swami Nuh has to take something, it was more, the Swami Nuh has to give something to the community. We always remind our monks before we set out on Pindapati. The mindset that we must all have when we are aware of there, it is not to take but to give. In fact, we talk amongst ourselves,

33:03in the Hantharo, are you going to give a Pindapati today? That's what we talk amongst ourselves. Whereas you would expect us to say, are you going to take Pindapati today? Now what we really talk about between ourselves is, are you going to give Pindapati today? Because it's a giving, it's a gift. At least, you know, this community and the communities that you can reach, just, you know, tell them in passing. If ever you see a Swami Nuh has a, with a NamSpaul, don't automatically and already assume that they are here for money. So, first of all, maybe approach them and ask them what it is they, you can help them with. At the Hantharo, what are you here for? Can I offer you something? Then the Swami Nuh has able to indicate whether it is food or, anything else that He might need.

34:04But if you go back traditionally, monks only ever went on, it's why it's called Pindapata. Pinda is food. So, as I was saying, what shocked me more was not the fact that people came up with money, but the fact that people came up with a hundred rupees. Does that not tell you something? Now, at a restaurant, if you are really impressed by a service that you receive, you usually tip your waiter. If you are really impressed by their service, sometimes you might even leave an extra few notes, usually not coins these days, you leave a couple of notes or something, in addition to the change. But if you go to a really good restaurant and you tip like a hundred rupees, what might they say? They are calling it like, not that.

35:05You left your money, take it with you. If you leave a hundred rupees, that's what the waiter might say. Do it you might have your own comeback, I'm giving you what I want to give you, you don't want to take it, leave it. So, it's not about that. But what I'm saying is, think about that mentality ladies and gentlemen. Where people see the sarsana? Swami Nuvasa has come on Pindapatha. And someone thinks that the right amount, even if it's money they feel they have to offer, is a hundred rupees. Actually, one central market with fifty rupees. And perhaps that's everything they had at the time. Fair enough. And whenever people come up to us with money, what we say is, we just want something to eat for this afternoon. That's also a lesson I learned. I used to say, I just want something to eat and then they would come back with some TVP packet or something.

36:08Or like a packet of garlic. So, then I'd have to take it to the monastery and cook it. Then I realized that wasn't enough for me to say, I just want something to eat. I had to say, I need something to have for lunch now. That's when people, either that's when people realize, ah, okay, so he's asking for cooked food. That's how unfamiliar people are. That's how much people are now distanced from this whole concept of Pindapatha. Our country can't survive like this ladies in general. It's what I'm trying to tell you. We as a nation, we want people to survive for very long. If we don't give the sars and its due place. See, over time, we are losing a lot of what we have and what we are. It's a very, very small country. We have a very small tiny island, don't we?

37:12On a small enough map, you can't even spot the island. If it's small enough, you can't even spot it. Only on a large map can you actually see Sri Lanka somewhere just below India. When in comparison to its neighbours, we just a speck of dust, almost nothing. So for us being nothing and yet to be able to sustain ourselves, if we go back the time of our ancestors, we didn't have to import anything. In fact, what did we do? We were the opposite of that. We had everything in abundance. We didn't import. We exported. All our bonds were full. That's who we were. And a large part of that was due to the sarsana.

38:17That's why we are not just Lanka. We are Sri Lanka. This tree stands for something. It denotes something. It means something. It is shortened for Sri Sampudasasana. And so it was a very common thing for Sarminoans to go on a Pindapatha. You know, those days it was said. Sarminoans never hundreds of thousands of Sarminoans. Therefore this land was very... ...possibly. Prosperous. Today if we don't... If we just throw out everything we've imported from China, from Germany, from Japan, and from many of the other countries that we import stuff, if we just discard all of that, we'll be left with.

39:19Maybe not even the air that we breathe. Maybe even that is also important. I don't know. Do we import oxygen now? If we don't already, we will soon. Because if we lose who we are, and our natural way of providing for ourselves, then this country, this nation, will not be sustainable. We will just be at the mercy of the rest of the world. I'm not saying that a country can live in isolation. These relationships that we have with the rest of the world, they are important. But we were people who could give more than we took. I think today we have switch roles. Today we are begging at other's doors. We are begging on our knees for other countries to look after us,

40:22to provide for us, to lend to us. We are begging and borrowing out of our ears. Because we have nothing. And the best of our talent, what do we do with that? That we export. Our young blood. That we export. The best minds we export. And with that we export our values and our virtues. What it means to be three-lunking. There is a world, there is a country in this world, which represents Buddhism, or Buddhist teaching, Buddhist philosophy. And I think there is no doubt that we are very privileged that our country represents this more than many other countries. When people speak of Sri Lanka, those days it used to be the land of the Buddha.

41:26Today, the land of Hoppers. See, it is here. People come here for that. People come here for the nature trails. People come here for the waterfalls. People come here for the food. This is not what people actually came here for. People came here for spirituality. But we have lost it due to more than one reason and one of the main reasons being, today we have only 22,000 of us, for 22 million of all of us. 22,000 is nothing in comparison. And even then the real pity is that that 22,000 to keep them in ropes, to keep them not only physically in ropes, but also to keep them spiritually and mentally in ropes,

42:28is a very difficult thing to do because of all the influences that are coming from left, right and center. If you believe ladies and gentlemen that this has, it is something that is precious to you, then you must protect it. If you don't feel that this has an precious to you, then just let it go. To understand whether something is precious, you must first learn about it. You must understand it. You must start making use of it. And that is what you have begun to do now. I feel pretty confident when I say this, you have begun to see the sarsana in a new light to what you used to many years ago. Maybe two years ago, three years ago, five years ago. I doubt today you would ever walk up to a Sarmindhvasi who was on Pindaparth and put you in an arm out and say, here's 50 rupees. Keep the change. If that gentleman, if that is all they had, fair enough.

43:39But I don't think that that is what it is on most occasions. I think what people think is there's a beggar out on the streets. There's an actual beggar, there's a beggar who has come here to bother us, to pest us. Just give him something and send him off. I have a strong feeling that these are some of those conversations that happen not to our faces. But before they come and talk to us. There's some of this, there's an arm throughout there. It's sending something, giving some send him off. Giving him something and sending him off. I mean, you know, put the Mahasanga to a side for a second. You know who I am personally. Me personally. Just think about who they're thinking about sent him off.

44:39You know how much you have benefited from association with me personally. I don't really like to talk about this topic at all, but just to prove a point to you. I mean, if you think I am this good, imagine how good the Sangha must be. Then it was someone who think, this is sending him off, coming here for our money. You think I come there for people's money? But that's the mentality that people have. 50 rupees, give me 50 rupees, send him off. In fact, you know what happened in one of the places. So there was a man who was outside the shop. And the shopkeeper, he came, he walked up to the, to the door. And instead of him coming and offering it, he gave it to this man who was standing by the silence and said, I'll knock the deal of that.

45:39Just give it to him. I'll knock the deal of that. If they came here, actually it's my mistake. One of these days, can you imagine what response they would have? If they saw who that's Ramin, I'll say, he's actually. But it doesn't matter who the Swami knows, I'll say, I'm just sharing with you the mentality that people have. And it's more common in and around cities, towns and developed parts of our country. I speak to you because most of you are from the developed part of our country. You are from the towns, you are from the cities.

46:41You represent the affluent. You represent those who have. You represent those who are gifted. I'm not talking to a bunch of villages here. Rajagiri might be your village, but that's not the point I'm talking about. Making here. You are all people in society who have. You're wealthy. More or less. It's people like you. I know that sounds so wrong. This is not me stereotyping. I'm only trying to make the point here because I want you to make a change where possible. Where you can, where you touch, make a change. There are a lot of people like you. And they don't know what's standing out there.

47:42Therefore, they don't feel that it is something that deserves respect. Something that when invested will give them a billion times, a billion times more than what they give. Therefore, they just kick the opportunity out. They don't know that what's in return for them is nibbhaan, for a bit of food. Otherwise, why 100 rupees? Why 50 rupees? I'm sure one of these is being a 10 rupees coin and say, yeah, up here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, take it, take it, take it, and go. Like chasing a dog. I hope you understand this is not about how I feel about the matter. I'm quite happy to accept anything that comes my way. Come and spit in my face. I will wipe it with my left hand so that when you shake my hand again, I can give you my right.

48:45Because I don't want your spit rubbing on your hand. That's where I am today, not where I was. Those days you chase me, I will teach you a lesson. Because my mind I don't be seeing you. Who do you think I am? But now I'm just, I'm just the earth, this is sky. This is the air that flows between earth and sky. That is what the dhamma has done for me. But the dhamma has yet to do that for these poor people. Poor, not because they have nothing in their pockets, but poor because they have a lot in their pockets. So poor that all they have is money. That's what I mean. They're so poor they don't understand who are Swami Nohazi. They don't understand what a Pindapathi is.

49:46They don't understand that this is an opportunity to earn merits. They don't understand that Nibbana is what awaits them. Just outside their front door. That's why it's not taking Nibbana, but giving Nibbana, not taking Pindapathi, but giving Pindapathi. You know, I encourage you to take a look at the Nibbana. You know, in contrast, I see how you offer Pindapathi to Swami Nohazi. The only difference here is the dhamma. They, without the dhamma, you, with the dhamma. That's a difference. I don't think any of us would have treated the Mahasanga the same way if we hadn't had the dhamma either. You know, as members of clergy, as we give them, we have some sense of respect. But today you have understood the Mahasanga to be more than those who deserve your respect. You have understood the Mahasanga as a community, as a force that helps you to earn respect.

50:54So, when you offer arms to Swami Nohazi, as he goes on, as we go on Pindapathi, the contrast is just words apart. I mean, I'm just surprised you don't do a sama-saut here, when you offer the Pindapathi. If you could, I'm sure you would, but don't. How respectful you are, you know, you both hands and you offer it and then you go down on your knees. And if there's not enough room, you at least bend at your knees. This is how respectful you are. And I know that you are just sorry and sad about the fact that you are only allowed to offer, one inch by one inch. That's all you're all, yes, all you're allowed to offer. But out there, we go out with the, actually we go out with the bigger arms, both then the one I come to you with. Because there are eleven of us at the retreat and typically only four of our monks go out on Pindapathi.

51:55So we bring back enough food for everyone and the other Swami noises are in meditation. And then we take turns and they got to come out there, as the Swami noises. So it's a bigger arms bowl. My one is I think a size seven and a half or an eight. The one I take when I go and Pindapathi there is about a size nine. It's quite a big arms bowl. I could live on that for a week. That's how big it is. So you open that and people can see it's empty. And then they'll say, yeah, 50 rupees. If they knew how much they can get back, if that was me, I would go back into the shop, bring out the till, if that's all I had to offer and no food. I would bring out the till and empty it into the arms bowl.

52:57So I'm going to answer this is everything I have learned for today. I have nothing else to offer. Here is everything I own. Here is my wallet. Here is my chain. Here is my bracelet. Here is my Yara, my rings and everything. I don't have any food Swami noises but if you are willing to accept it, here is everything. That is why I see the man's uncle. You know, it's not, I've always shared this with you like the money. It is the, when we talk about the real sarsana, there are no individuals here. Because if I am practicing the real sarsana, then I cannot be an individual. Because my identity begins to fade with my practice of the dumb. Then whenever an offering is made, it cannot be for my sustenance, it cannot be for my personal use, can it? It might be a meal I eat but why do I eat that meal? Why do I take that meal? It's for the greater good.

53:58What am I doing here? The greater good. That is why the sarsana differs in every other way. I think I've told you when I used to work in banking and in my lay life, something I hated doing was asking people for something. Asking someone for favors, even for a favor, because I always thought, if I have my arms and my legs, if I have knowledge, if I can do, why don't I go and labor and earn what I need? I hated asking people for things. Today I can ask you to give everything to the sarsana. Because I understand what the sarsana is. Give everything and the kitchen sink, not but the kitchen sink. To the sarsana ladies and gentlemen, give everything and the kitchen sink.

54:59If you are wondering, how come Swami Nuhasa is asking us for this, that 10th year or the now? Is he not supposed to be satisfied with what he has and be content? I can't, he's come and asking, it is not for that. It's not for me. I'm asking for you. This is Soniobia. The sarsana is for everyone. If only you understood how much I understand about giving. Like the Buddha said, I'll quote the Buddha on this occasion. The Buddha says, if people understood as much as I do, as much as I do, about charity, he says, ladies and gentlemen, that you would never eat without offering something to some of you to someone else. You would never eat a single meal the Buddha says. If you understood as much as I do about giving, think about how profound those words are and why the Buddha would have said something like that.

56:01See, I never eat without giving the first part of it to the Buddha. That's how my life is now. The first part always goes to the Buddha. Always. Not a single day has gone by, where the first part of what I consume is always, before I consume it goes to the Buddha. And then it's the Mahasanga, to every one of the Sangha. And then to the Anagarika, Anagarika, gopasa, gopasa, gopasa, which means all of you. See, that's what we do at the monastery, as I'm sure you would have noticed. Before we take our meal, first we'll dedicate to the Buddha. Secondly, to the Mahasanga, thirdly, Anagarika, Anagarika, and opasa, gopasa, which means all of you. It's only after we've done all that, do we go and take food into our armsports? Meaning, by the time we are prepared to go and take food into our armsports,

57:02it's already ready for all of you to take. I know, eventually you would not go and touch the food before the Swami knows, it's go and take it, but in real terms, it's already offered to all of you and everyone, anyone and everyone who wishes to do the sarsana. So all these boys down to what the sarsana means to you. I was contrasting at that experience, I was going on Pindapata, how these people are so different to our Rajika Sains. Because I was thinking in my mind, I knew that this Sunday, of course, we don't have the Pindapata, so we don't have it today, do we? No. So what I was thinking in my mind, if the same trip had been taken at Gateway,

58:10the reception would be entirely different. Or at least, the funny thing was, on two occasions, so we are going on Pindapata, one time there was a Saturday, a gentleman who was going to the monastery, he saw us, and so he quickly pulled up and he came running, as fast as his legs could carry him, he came running, and he saw me, and he saw us. Please let me know, and he saw me. So, you know, and the irony of it was, we were stood outside an utter piri kerosene. I really want you to see what's happened to our country. You know, if you want to associate with something noble, you've got to associate with it right.

59:11If you associate with it the wrong way, then you are a goner. Then you are lost for life. I was stood outside an utter piri kerosene. I stood there for, I really allowed to stay for as long as it takes, it is said for a deer to lap up some water from a pool. That's the length of time we are allowed to stay. This is the Buddhist advice. Because longer than that, and you must know that you are not welcome. Oh, they have nothing to offer. And you must move on to that next place. So, he has stood outside this utter piri kerosene. Nothing coming. It's an utter piri kerosene. But, you know, in retrospect, I was not surprised. I was really not surprised by the fact that nothing was offered at that vendor. Reason for that being, I thought about this, and I realized they had had bad,

1:00:17they had built up a bad relationship, and unhealthy relationship with the Mahasanga. Wherein there were monks, potentially, I could be wrong, but potentially in there were monks are traders, their businessmen. Monser, I here to strike a deal, so that we can make money. And we get what is given to them, and we exchange it for, you know, some amount. And then we see how the business, these are my business partners. That's how they see monks. So, no wonder, you know, Swami Naras is stood outside with an arms world. He is properly wondering. He is properly trying to sell me his arms, but for a fair price. No wonder. But, on that occasion, there was this devotee from the monastery.

1:01:17He was on his knees, and he was, he couldn't, I mean, he couldn't ask it in any more polite way. And he couldn't be more begging for the opportunity to offer, he said, Swami Naras, please let me, are you going to go any further? I will quickly go to the shop and bring you something. So, you know, he, you know, to his heart's content, he was able to offer to Swami Naras, and sense it in that occasion. There a little further down the line on yesterday, this was yesterday, yes, sunny day, Yes, same day... There a little further down. There was another family, a lady, a husband and a boy. I think they had gone to the Hampasa, something. But they had never visited the monastery. They had never visited the monastery, but they had seen this Swami Naras say, some places, social media and whatnot. So they came up running and said, Swami Narasaviva,

1:02:17wait in to come and see you at the monastery, we want to come to your Aramae. We never thought we would have this opportunity. And the funny thing was, we were stood outside a food shop. But nothing, nothing coming. It was a food shop. I mean, you know, in the heart of Kalambo. So I was standing there for about a minute or so. And then another gentleman came up and said, Swami Narasaviva, what a fortuitous encounter this is. My mother is dying of cancer. And please, would you accept this money? And give a blessing. And I said, well, sir, I have no use for money. I'm only here for some food. If you like, you can purchase something and offer it for a meal.

1:03:18So that's when he went into the shop. Until then, not a single person stepped outside. But I could see from the side of my eye, people were sitting down, they were eating, the things were going on. Yeah, yeah. I'm not saying these things to... You know, cause any friction or for you to think badly, badly about anyone. That would be a waste of time. That's not what I'm here to do. That's not what I'm trying to do. So don't give me wrong. What I want to do is to show you the scale of the problem, the scale and the size of this problem. Where today, the Mahasanga, when they go on Pindapata, are seen as a bunch of beggars who have come here, who have come to people and they are now just pestering them. People who should be chased away by a given fifty rupees, just by throwing some money at them.

1:04:20As I was constantly thinking, how would the Rajagirians see this opportunity? If they knew that Swami Namsa was in meditation retreat this week and he was going on Pindapata, how they would treat the Mahasanga in contrast to what was going on there. So then that family, this lady and the gentleman and this child, so she had never visited the monastery, but she was familiar with the face. She was, she said, until that Swami Namsa, from that tick tock, tick, that thing, this thing. I said, maybe. I mean, how can I say for certain, it could be many other Swami Namsa, it's good, isn't it? So I said, maybe. Because I know it's not a time for us to engage in conversation. I don't even invite them to the monastery, come and listen to the servants, because that's not the time or place for that. It's a certain decorum, you have to maintain when you go on Pindapata,

1:05:22because it will become a show, a display, then that defeats the purpose, and there's another word I'm looking for. The value, intention, it will come to me later. It's a very solemn thing, that practice, it's a very solemn, it's very noble. And you, you know, you mustn't desecrate it. Sometimes, I'm been known to us, it could happen, if we are not careful about our conduct. So it's not a time to, sorry. It's quite sacred. Yeah, it's quite sacred that practice. And we have to, we have to keep it like that for future generations, because if we spoil something today, I mean, if I accept money today, then a Swami Namsa who doesn't even use money at all,

1:06:24you would also have to. If I engage in various conversations today, then Swami Namsa who doesn't will be looked down upon, said, well, why is that Swami Namsa not talking to us? When we are, that's sort of thing. So there's a whole lot of things we need to think about, but that only applies to. You would apply to it if you ever became a monk, so you want that worry brother at all. Don't worry about that. Don't you worry about that. You should know what I mean. Don't you worry about that. So this lady, you know what she did? She got down on her knees, and then she, so this is outside that food shop, that gentleman had gone in to bring some food, the mother, the son whose mother, the cancer. And while we were waiting for him, this lady she came and she got down on her knees and asked her son to get down on his knees, and there was a pool of water there as well,

1:07:24so it's actually a bit muddy, but that she couldn't care less. And then she started seeing, gu navan, gu nya, ke, the full bells and whistles, she started the whole thing. Now, but the point is this, right? As she was doing that, there were people in the shop, no sooner than she started doing this, did they start coming out? She was the catalyst. I was standing there for about two minutes because I had to wait now for that gentleman to come back. I wouldn't normally stand outside for that long, but once you give your word that you will wait, then you have to wait. That's fair, isn't it? So then this gentleman went in, I think he'd properly placed an order or something, and while he was to return, I was waiting outside, but there was no one still coming up to us.

1:08:24Then this mother and child, and the father, they came, they got down on the knees and they started doing this worship, utmost respect and with such devotion. In the middle of the street, they couldn't get less. To then this was like, oh God, Sarputthita iraiseya, Mahamogang Maharatan Mahasasya, Mahakasav Maharatan Mahasasya, this is what I sensed. And what I was really incredibly happy about was the fact that they turned out to be the catalyst for many people who they came running out of the shop. They dropped their meals and this, they came out bringing with them food, yogate, stuff, whatever to offer to some men. Had it not been for that mother and child, and this simple act of devotion, and this heartfelt act of, you know, love and respect for the Sarsana, those people would have lost out on that opportunity.

1:09:26They would have sat there, had their hearty meals and go on home. See how your actions cause ripple effects? I mean, that is a lady who would never visited the monastery. Not about your actions, sir. You can change your world by being who you are. And people see what you are willing to do, what you want to do, what you are capable of doing. That's a you can be ambassadors of the Sarsana Dresden. Pasaka, Pasaka are part of the fourfold Sanger. When people see you when you are devotion to the Mahasanga, then people will also feel, surely this must be monks who are very virtuous.

1:10:26Because that's the thing, people always try to measure up monks, at least until they understand the Dhamma. Until then they try and measure up monks. This monk must be more virtuous because he doesn't wear food wear. This monk must be very virtuous because he only works, looks down while he works. This monk must be more virtuous because he is vegetarian. These are the various ways in which people measure up monks. When they think something is right and noble and virtuous, by that yard stick they measure monks. So if a monk has a wound on his foot, what's he supposed to do? Going pinned up other but without footwear. Then who's got to treat that after that? Again the devotees. And if he gets an infection, then you know, you're going to be a practical. Practicality has to be number one.

1:11:28The Buddha is the most practical man, I know ladies and gentlemen. But we're very practical. And take his Dhamma for instance. Is it not the most practical thing you ever heard? Practicality is a measure of how closely something can be related to our personal circumstances. That is what practical means. So you mustn't measure up monks based on what they eat, what they wear, how they walk, how they talk because virtuousness cannot be measured that way. If they do you any harm, fair enough, right? So on that occasion you can come to your own judgment. But until then, see, Pillinda vachamaharatan vahrahatan vahrahatan vahrahatan vahrahatan but used to go around calling people Vasalaya, which is technically in those days a bad word, it's a foul word. So what did the Buddha do?

1:12:28He summoned him and said, you must not use that word henceforth because people will think bad of you. That is not good for the sarsana but it's worse for them. Because when they see you they might think, this is that Andruv who always goes around, you know, using foul language, what virtue does he have? I'm not going to offering anything. I'm going to chase him out, I'm not going to listen, I'm not prepared to listen to a sermon of his, but he's a Maharatan also. He doesn't want to talk from him and he was saved from the foul, great health is for good. See, so how can you measure? How can you measure of people by doing that? Especially, members of the clergy, what you must understand is, one reason or the other, they have given up worldly life. I mean, there are beggars on the streets. I don't know why they might, they'd rather not coming to, into monks, into the sari, into robes. I know why, because even that life for them is more liberal.

1:13:31They have the freedom to do what they want. They can go begging when they want, they can choose not to when they don't want. Whereas this lifestyle of a monk, then you are confined to the rules and conduct of a monk. You have to behave in a certain way, which are those liberties that, or rather freedom from those liberties is what they wish to enjoy potentially. Otherwise, you might wonder, right? If there's a beggar under the streets, he's got nothing to eat. Why doesn't he just go become a monk? He gets his food, gets his robes, gets a place to live. People look after him, but they know. I'm not saying that's the right reason to come into monkhood at all. Don't get me wrong, that's not what I mean. But, you know, one should wonder why they choose to live the lives of a beggar, when this is available, it's like when social welfare is available, why do people go big? That's when some countries begging is forbidden. You can't go begging because social welfare is available.

1:14:33But the thing is, you know, I think even the beggars in this day and age, they think monks are even less than them. Below them, like, they are the elite, there are those, they are aristocrats, people who have the wealthy and so on, then there are beggars, and then there are monks. But you are a voice in your community. A voice that people will listen to, a voice that people will respect. Not on our behalf, ladies and gentlemen, but on their behalf. When you have an armsgiving, invite those people, people whose lives matter to you. I have seen some of you, you bring your friends just for the Pindapata. Some of you do that. Sometimes you bring your parents, your elderly parents, they can't sit through a two, three hour long sermon,

1:15:34but they are willing to come up and offer some Pindapata. How noble of you to do that. You know, maybe your mother, she doesn't understand a word of English, but she understands that this is a sermon, not a Pindapata, that much she can learn out of it. She can make sense of it. And I've seen people like you, people among you who do that. Wonderful. Maybe your son or daughter, they are not willing to listen to the dhamma, they are not interested in the banha, but if you give them something to offer to someone, then they would do that. There's something, you are a voice that people have prepared to listen to. You are not a nobody. I mean, of course, in a conventional sense, you are not a nobody, you are a voice that people have introduced to. You are influential in your communities, you are. For our country, for our nation, to regain its status as Sri Lanka, we must give the sarsana back its rightful place.

1:16:35And I'm not saying this because I'm a member of the sarsana. I'm saying this because we are all members of the sarsana, not just Buddhists, not Muslims, not Christians, not Hindus, each and every individual in this world. Every mind in this universe is a member of the sarsana. Remember the graveyard story I told you the other day? You don't mess around with the kartek of the graveyard. Why not? Because ultimately, that's where you end up, isn't it? So the sarsana is the graveyard for all of us. This is sansara's graveyard. The day we want to end this, we must all go through the sarsana. Therefore, everyone is a member of the sarsana, either now or in the future. Think of someone who accepts no religion. They are atheists. They don't believe in the Buddha. They don't believe in Christ. They don't believe in Allah.

1:17:36They don't believe in God's deities, nothing. They only believe in themselves. Where is that man going to end just before he exits sansara? Sarsana. So then it's not important that the sarsana thrives. And the sarsana is there for everyone to find their peace. And that's what I mean. That is the sarsana that I want you all to look after. Not me. I'm just someone who has come here to make use of this sarsana. I am not the sarsana. I'm just someone who has come here to look, take something from this sarsana. To benefit from this sarsana. And I've only been able to do it because this sarsana was there long before I came in. Thanks to our teachers, thanks to our elders, thanks to our ancestors, thanks to our people. Thanks to your grandparents. Today I have the sarsana.

1:18:38Thanks to your great-grandfather. Thanks to your great-grandmother. Today we have the sarsana. Because your great-grandfather never took a meal before the monks in his local temple were fed. They were given his bare arms. Your great-grandmother never took her meals before the nunnery in her local community was fed. Thanks to them, today I have the sarsana to become a monk. You are part of that legacy. So I'm grateful to your grandparents. I'm grateful to your great-grandparents. I'm grateful to your parents. Maybe even more than you are. Because all you know is what your parents told you. Here's what your grandfather passed down to you. What? A big bank account. A few lands from here there and some other part of the country.

1:19:40That's all you know that has been passed down to you from your grandparents. So you see your grandparents as someone, a bunch of people, a couple of people who passed down, you inheritance. That has an economic value. To me, it's not economic value. Your grandparents did so much for me. Your grandparents, your great-grandparents were more Buddhist than my parents for. It is thanks to them, today we have the temples in our country. It is thanks to them today as a child I grew up watching monks, in robes, shaylen heads with a names bow. Your great-grandfather gave his first son to the sarsana. Your great-grandfather I'm talking about. He gave his first son to the sarsana.

1:20:46Then we went on to become the chief monk of the temple. That monk I would have visited. He was the monk of the first priest at me. And then somehow the idea came to my mind, maybe one day I would like to be like him. That is because of your great-grandfather. And to whom I over-debt a gratitude. That's why today I can't reach him. But I can speak to his great-grandchildren. And so I speak to him. So by serving you, I serve them. So, your great-grandfather, grandparents, who paved the streets, who planted the trees, who lead the streets,

1:21:48who built the schools, who built our nation up, who fought the wars, who gained freedom for our country. Have you forgotten them? Have you forgotten your great-grandparents? Okay, I haven't. That's why in service has a tribute to their commitment to building Sri Lanka. For preserving the sarsana, although I can't go back and reach him, I'm serving his, or their great-grandchildren.

1:22:51This is how we cycle around. This is how the loop comes complete. That's something in our lives. But there's so much we need to think about. Yes, in our in-barnas, what we hear, what we hear for. Anachidukha and Anatha, we need to talk about, we need to contemplate and all that. Yes, grant them. But let's not forget everything that has helped us to make Anachidukha and Anatha happen. That has sustained the sarsana this long, and it has brought it down to us. There are your grandparents, your great-grandparents, your parents. Probably would have taught me language. Now, I know you're already doing this. You know about this because there are teachers among you who teach our monks, languages. They teach Anagarika Mahatma's languages. On my request, you come to the monastery, you spend time with them. You bring them the materials they need, you sit down with them and walk,

1:23:54sorry, you worked with them, correcting their sentences, correcting their grammar, helping them build up their vocabulary, teaching them better ways to express themselves so that you can carry on the service of the sarsana. See, if you are doing that today, someone did that for me one day. Didn't they? We may not know what their name is. We may not know who's who they were. But there was someone, there was a son or a daughter of this son of this land. Therefore here will be a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter. Someone who deserves to be paid back. That's what I mean. See, we are all very interconnected.

1:24:54It's only our sense of separation that gets in the way. That's the thing. When Jati strikes and we have this sense of separation and this sense of individuality, then we become very selfish. But when those selfish boundaries begin to thin away and disappear and fade into obscurity, then you begin to appreciate the grandness of how we are all interconnected and we are all part of the same thing. Let me give you one small example. Last night, our Swami Noises were staying up to meditate to the early hours of the morning. So I saw one monk, he was kind of dancing from where I was seeing. So I walked up and what's going on? He was very dancing. I said, no, no, I'm just chasing him with the mosquitoes.

1:25:58I said, okay, good. I said, when you have to do this chasing away these mosquitoes, what thought comes into your mind? I asked him. What is the thought that crosses your mind? Well, he and I gave me the obvious answer. It was, what would you do? When you chase a mosquito, do you chase them or do you still do what you used to do? Do you teach them a lesson they never forget? Do you just teach them a very temporary lesson? Hopefully you don't teach them those lessons they never forget. Because once you're dead, you never forget, right? You just chase them away. So let me ask you the same question I asked him. When you chase these mosquitoes, what thought comes to your mind? Don't you feel that they have come to take something that belongs to you?

1:27:00What is it that belongs to you? Your blood. So the mosquito has come to suck your blood. It's whose blood? My blood. So you chase the mosquito away. So in your mind, you're asking this question to yourself and to whomever is up there, why or why or why? Why do these mosquitoes bother me? Why have they come to take my blood? Genoa, the mosquitoes must be thinking. Why is he not letting me have my food? I understand you have some food. Why won't he let me have my food? Because it's only in your mind that it's your blood ladies and gentlemen, to the mosquito. That's just what? Food.

1:28:01It's only a matter of perspective. See, when God created the mosquito, He would have had to create food for the mosquito, wouldn't He? If you don't think of God, that's God. Otherwise, the universe, when the universe created the mosquito, the universe would also have had to create something to sustain the mosquito. And that would be food. So what did the universe create as food for the mosquito? I'm looking at it. What did the universe create as food for the mosquito? You, that's what the universe created. You, your blood, not your blood, blood. You think it's your blood, the most, to the mosquito, it's food. That's it. So whenever you chase that mosquito,

1:29:02if in your mind you're thinking to yourself, how dare it come and drink my blood? This is my blood. Go suck someone else. When you think that in your mind, actually that is in a kind of, in a very subtle way, it is theft. It is theft in a certain way, because you're teaving the mosquito of its food. You're depriving the mosquito of its food. Now that is not me suggesting that you must let the mosquitoes come in, harvest your blood. So don't do a blood donation campaign. See, that's the thing, right? When we do a blood donation campaign, we are okay with other human beings taking our blood. What's the problem with the leech taking your blood? The leech hangs on to your leg and it starts sucking your blood. You know, a leech doesn't leave you with dinghy or malaria.

1:30:03Most may be, sometimes, a allergic reaction. But regardless, when you have, when you are in that situation, you feel that the leech is sucking your blood. It's my blood. Why is the leech here to take my blood? This is how you feel about it, isn't it? That's why you despise these animals. The sight of a leech is what? Very rejoicing. Some people find them disgusting. Even the mosquito, just the sound of a mosquito as it flaps, flaps its wings. You find it very irritating, don't you? That's because you know it's coming to take your blood. That's how you think, but your blood is not your blood.

1:31:05Whenever you think that it's come to take my blood, so this is the instruction I was giving the monk who was in meditation, I said, other hand, whenever you think that the mosquito has come to take your blood, you isolate yourself from the Universe. That is Jalbi again. So if you're here to try and eradicate Jati, if you're here to sit down for meditation to try and eradicate Jati, then you're going to change your perspective on that matter. So obviously the follow-up question was, so what should I be doing? I'm not chasing away. I said, no, don't do that. You chase the mosquito. But you've got to understand that you have no right to deprive it of its food, having understood that,

1:32:05and only because the mosquito's bite may leave you unwell, sick, diseased, and therefore you are then deprived of the opportunity to attain ni bhaana. Are you permitted to chase the mosquito? By that token ladies and gentlemen, anyone who's not interested in ni bhaana? I mean, what for? Why do you chase the mosquito? Okay, so the mosquito lands on you, it bites you, you get dengue, and you die. If you don't get dengue, you don't die. You die anyway. So you get dengue and die. No, you don't get dengue and die. You die anyway. I mean why stop the mosquito? Let it have its meal. But if you're here for ni bhaana,

1:33:07once you get to ni bhaana, you don't die. You become deadless. Then it's worth chasing that mosquito, because you have done some service to the universe. Because when you're vexed, the universe also has to pay a price, mustn't it? Think about the times when you are vexed. When you're vexed, either you express your vexation through desire or aversion. These are the two ways in which you express your vexation. Either you want something from someone, or you don't want something from someone. In other words, you want that thing to go away out of your life. As an example, when you like someone, this is a moment of vexation. You might like them so much that you want them to spend the rest of their lives with you.

1:34:08And we call that a relationship, and maybe even marriage, spouse, so on. But then if there comes a point where you don't like them anymore, then what's the best thing they could do for you? Give you a divorce, and walk out of your life. See, one is desired, the other is aversion. So these are the two ways you express yourself to the world out there. So those who are not on the path to need one, will now and forever interact with people and the rest of the world in one of these two avenues. Either through desire, therefore bring them to me or aversion, take them away from me. Agreed? So when you take someone to you, closer to you, that's because you want something from them. That's like I said, when you are vexed, the universe has a price to pay.

1:35:14A simple example, if you like to eat cake, then either your mother has to bake one for you or she has to buy one for you. So the universe has to pay. You only think your mother is your mother, to the universe. She's just the universe, so the universe has to pay. Whereas if there's something you don't like, something you really dislike, then, like say for example, you're a child, like singing, or you don't like their voice, or your husband likes singing, and you don't like his voice. I mean, you don't like his singing voice, to be more precise. So then he has to stop. You know, at least you do. Can you wait at least until I leave the house? So he has to stop. So the universe has to pay the price again, because that's your excitation. So when you are vexed, ladies and gentlemen, either through desire or aversion,

1:36:16the universe has a price to pay. Then what's the point? But if you're on the path to nibbha, then you will eventually become someone who qualifies to die, until then you cannot die. We talked about this last week. There is no real death for you until you have achieved the purpose of your life. The purpose of your life is to understand the purpose of your life. So until you have understood its purpose, you will keep on in pursuit of that purpose. And therefore life has to continue, one after the other, after the other, after the other. So either with the angel, without the angel, you carry on. I mean, I now take away crude look, and this is how I understand the word. All these superficial value systems to me actually make no sense anymore.

1:37:21They are very unsophisticated. They are very rudimentary. They are very meaningless, all these value systems, authorities, big shots, superiors, seniors, high ranking, all of those things, even the low ranking, inferior, all that, these value systems really make no meaning to me anymore. To me it's just one and zero now. Nibbha, or not. That's it. Maybe I've lost my sense of, I don't know. I've lost touch. Or maybe I'm just seeing the word in a very different lens now. You know, I don't, in my life those days lay in same and I valued,

1:38:23I valued the opposite gender. They were precious because I wanted them. I wanted to associate with the female gender because I found them interesting. I felt like they always had something to offer to me. I felt like they, I had to have them as part of my life. But I don't, I don't, I don't see the word that way anymore. They're just another aggregation of energy, another mind suffering, still trying to find the purpose of their lives. Because there are no women in this world, just aggregations of energy. The only difference between women and this, woman as a mind, this doesn't.

1:39:23How dare you so many nonsense? That's not to disrespect women. My question is where are the women to respect? Show me the woman and I respect her. But where are the women to respect? It is not that I don't respect women. I don't see women anymore to disrespect, or to respect. So what can I do about that? Likewise, there are no men in this world. It's just a conventional name for a collection of gathering a congregation of energy. It's just an aggregation of energy. Around a Gati. Gati is a temperament. When the mind thinks a certain way, energy complies.

1:40:25Compliance is energy's best trait. It always complies, energy always complies. You create a deficiency, and energy just conforms to that. Wherever the deficiency is, the energy conforms. You change the deficiency, energy reforms. So there is. So once I began to see the world through that perspective, I don't value women anymore. That's not to disrespect them. I hope really hope you don't take it that way. Because it's a common thing in society that women are disrespected and so women always fight for equal, respect, dignity and all that. My point is, show me a woman and I will respect her. Any women in the house? Where are the women? Where are the men?

1:41:25So you were asking me, what? Who are we then? This is probably what you're thinking. Who are we then? Am I not a woman? So I mean, I'm not a man. So I'm in awesome. No, which part of you is woman? Which part of you is man? If you both ate from the same, right? Same, right spot. If you both drank the same water, if you both breathed the same… air. If everything you eat is stopped from the sun and the earth. Then which part of you is woman? Your DNA is responsible for forming energy in this structure. That's it. So your DNA is your code to arrange energy around your body. That's all it is. That is how woman you are. That's it. And that's how man you are. It's just your DNA. What is DNA?

1:42:26It's just a structure to arrange energy. That's it. It's a mould. So if that's all you are ladies and gentlemen, then why would I treat a woman and men differently? Would I treat this and this differently? Should I treat those two things differently? One might treat you a lot of respect. This one I treat is respect. Why? This is useful for one purpose. This is useful for another purpose. Isn't it? What I want to do with this can I do with this? What I want to do with this can I do with this? No. Therefore for what it's worth, it's worth. That's all it is because of the structure of energy that is aggregated here. That's all it is. I can't help but see the world that way now.

1:43:34I don't respect anyone. I don't love one more than the other. I don't feel more for one than the other. Because everyone's the same. You're all equal. That's why I say those old value systems, they don't mean anything to me anymore. You may be wealthy, you may be poor, but that is only a measure of how much money is there. You think it belongs to you and the world lets you have it your way. Therefore you think you're rich, you're wealthy. It's all very conventional truth. You know the money in your bank, because the bank agrees that it's your money.

1:44:38And the Constitution agrees that it's your money and that you're allowed to call some money your money. That's the only reason it's your money, isn't it? In absolute terms, what is your value? What is your net worth? Not your net worth, you're not worth. So this is why I feel for those people who go after these, these are rabbit holes. You know, all of these are allisers in their own little wonderlands. All going down numerous rabbit holes trying to find paradise on the other side. That's a real pity. And you can all be different, you don't have to be the same, because you now have the government. I'm only sharing with you something that you can also aspire to. I want you to feel the way I feel, one day if not today.

1:45:41Because this way of feeling is incredibly liberating this, remember. You don't feel superior, you don't feel inferior, neither. Because to feel superior, you must feel that you are someone and someone else is less than you. To feel inferior, you must feel that you are someone and someone else is better than you. Then there's always competition. When you feel superior, you want to keep them suppressed so that you can be up there. When you feel inferior, you want to oppress them so that you can get back up there so you feel better about yourself. Therefore there's a constant competition going on and you know this is true in your workplace. At school, with your children, it happens all the time, that's why your children are always stressed. Because at school, this is the constant competition. This is the question that parents have for their children. It results out how much?

1:46:44What is your rank? Did you come first in class? No? By how much? This is that, you know, they are children. And it's really such a sad story, isn't it? Some of the children out there who are very intellectual, who are very intelligent, who have so much potential, if you put them on the right track, with right association, they will go on to achieve miracles. But unfortunately they were born to their parents. I can't put it better than that. Unfortunately they were born to their parents. Because they were born to their parents, what happened? Their parents had a different idea. They wanted their child to go on to become the first, the best. This, that, the other. It's always worried about the rank. Therefore always instilling in their minds a sense of inferiority or a sense of superiority,

1:47:44a sense of measurement, a sense of judgment, and therefore a constant sense of competition, out with compassion, in with competition, and then with that all of happiness is lost. Then no wonder today I think school going children, they are on entity presence. School aged children now, entity presence. So enough they are a primary aged children, maybe they are already. What are you talking about, Swami? You come home with me, Swami, you know, I said, my five year old is on entity presence. One day you will say this. You know, with the scholarship exams and all that, at that age in the life, you know, how tough, how toxic it is,

1:48:44to a child just, you know, in the formative years of their life. And you wonder why when they grow up, they forget their parents, why they don't treat, they look after their grandparents, why they don't look up to their parents, why they don't treat them with respect, with dignity. Now that's the what I was looking for. In the past is very dignified. So all that is lost because all the child knows his compassion. What are we doing, I don't know. We are tearing up society and along with it ourselves. We have this caste that society left on us and now we are kind of taking, we are a winging society. That's kind of how I feel about people. People are a winging society for what they are done to them.

1:49:45The rate shall one day rape. That's the kind of mentality that people I have. If you were abused in one day, you shall abuse. If you were stigmatized in one day, you would stigmatize. Where are the answers, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you, where are the answers? Is it blowing in the wind? So I come back again to the question, what is the sauce that I mean to you? Is it the pan, is it the pan suppolo? Is it the tumma sadan? And the dhal sadan? So I come back again to the question, what is the sauce that I mean to you? Is it the pan suppolo? Is it the tumma sadan?

1:50:47And the dhal sadan? Is it so that you can get some monks down to bless your new home? Is that what it is? Is it where a married couple should first go to the temple and ask for the monks blessings? I mean what's there to be blessed now? They'll already be married. What's the single word for getting married? Sarana? Paava, they know. That is what it is. Then you go to the Buddha and go, Sarana and Gacharya.

1:51:56That's my question, you know, as a married couple, what blessing are you looking for from the monk? Because you go up to the monk as a married couple, all the monk has to say, ayyoputa. Too late puta. You should have come back yesterday, you should have come here yesterday puta. To both the puta and the dhal, that is what the monk has left to say now. You should have come here yesterday and I could have done something for you, but now it's too late. That's what I say now, you have to associate the Sarana appropriately, you need to understand what the Sarana is for that. That is why I've said that at a particular shop, nothing was offered. Nothing. Not a morsel of food was offered. But of all places where would you have expected the Swami knows it will receive something? Atapiri Karashis and atapiri Karashis have five in a second.

1:53:01Everything in that shop is for whom? For the Mahasanga. But not a grain of rice. And there were people there. People walked out of the shop, bags full of stuff, they bought from the shop. So they were vata, they were atapiri Karashis, they were robes, they were walking out of the shop. These are customers, they bought things from the shop. Two Swami Nuan's stood outside with their arms both. Do you see the irony? And I have to ask you what's happening? What's going on? What's going on in your country?

1:54:03It's not my country anymore, what's going on in your country? What's going on in your land? What's going on in your kingdom? My kingdom is the kingdom of the Buddha. What's going on in your kingdom? Why have people forsaken the monks, the big kurs? Why have people forgotten that Sri Sri Lanka because of the Sri Sambu Dhisāsana? No, no. I knew you would say that. Yes. Okay. Thank you for the question. We must change for the world to change. We must change for the world to change. The word around us is what we are in the world.

1:55:11If we are not true to our practice, then there will not be a reason or a need for teachers to guide us on that path. As an example, if what you are interested in is material pursuits, then you will go and live in a community where people are talking about that, living that, breathing that, doing that every day. When you are interested in, if you are interested in becoming a parent, you will associate with people who are like-minded, maybe other mothers or mothers to be. This is how communities form, isn't it? Just like this community, there are many pieces to this answer, I'll try and piece them together. See if you can make sense of all this. Because the question is a very profound question,

1:56:13and there is a very valid answer, but there are a lot of pieces to it. If you keep throwing the leftovers, after you have you dinner, if you keep throwing the leftovers outside your house, what are you going to attract? Rodents and animals, dogs, stray animals, they will come and they will start eating that one day. So when you throw water tracks that is attracted. If you have a bird feed at home, and you put seeds or whatever bird's eat in there, that attracts the birds. It doesn't attract the dogs. If you have flowers at home, it attracts the bees, it attracts the blood of flies.

1:57:17But if you have stinking things at home, then it attracts the flies. So do you see what you attract? Is the result of what you put out? If you don't shower and you are sweaty, two or three days, then bacteria starts to proliferate on your body. There is always bacteria to beat of it, but they start to grow in large numbers. Flies are attracted. But if you wash and keep yourself clean, then you can keep yourself fairly safe and free from them. If you start playing music at home and play it, start playing it loud, if your neighbours like to live in a quiet neighbourhood,

1:58:17they will start to move home. At least first they might start to make complaints, but if that doesn't do anything, they will leave. What you will end up attracting are people like that. These are but few examples. To show you that a community is built based on what each member of this community express outwardly. That's why what is formed around you is a direct correlation to what you are inside of you. What you are within is what happens to you without your outwith yourself. Now think about this. So in answer to the good ladies question, so she was sharing some of the things she had seen, misfortune to have had come across such sites.

1:59:17If the community that we are, the people of this country, are not serious about their practice, they are not interested in nibbara. All they want is the panse cooler, the hatha, the anathumma sathana. And for that all you need is a man in a robe. That's what this country will be left with. Okay? If all you need is a man in a robe, then that's what you will find in this country, men in robes. But if you are true to your practice, if you are serious about nibbara, if you are serious about virtue, then you will attract people like that. You will attract individuals who are not just men in robes, but monks in their heart,

2:00:18like attracts like. To have come to a place in our country where we are now seeing these kind of things, speaks volumes, not about the individuals necessarily, or not only about the individuals that you see, but also about the common populace, who we have become. The king of cows is a, another cow, the king of lions is a lion. That is why I am here to remind you ladies and gentlemen, you know, I never talk about the effect. I will tell you what the effect is. I will talk about the effect,

2:01:18but I will not tell you what to do about the effect, because the effect is an effect. It is an effect it has, it has been effected. The effect is effected by what you do. So if you want the effect to change, then you have to affect it. You have to change. How come you have managed to keep me coming here for three long years? I will tell you how. You have given up your sons and daughters to the sarsam. Already, more than five individuals are in the sarsam. That means I know that there are people here who are like minded, therefore my trips are worthwhile. There are individuals here, actually all of you,

2:02:18who have been whatever ways possible to you, have started becoming less and less selfish, and more and more selfless. You are now thinking and beginning to do things not for your sake, but for everyone's sake. Your building is a school, your building a language centre, your building a greenery, not for yourself. You are offering land. You are offering your positions, not for your sake. What are the chances that you will come and live in one of those places? At the school, go and land there. When I knew you were going to do that, you already passed that age. You are offering books. You are offering stents. What you call it, stationary. Not for you. You are offering for everyone. That is how you have become selfless.

2:03:20Your decisions are no longer about what's in it for me. You are now thinking on the lights of what's in it for all of us. All of us means not just me and my children, not just me and my family. Everyone is my family. Therefore what's in it for all of us? This is what has kept Swami Nancy coming back. I don't mean you're offering. I mean your intention. If we only have a dime, offer the dime. It is not the quantity, it is never the quantity. It is how you give your pinder path to someone else to offer when they don't have anything to offer. It's how when a newcomer comes to the community, they come in on the first day and you give them an opportunity to offer the flowers, to invite the Swami Nancy, to offer a pyrrika. That is selflessness. These are things that attract people like that.

2:04:23But if you came up to me and started talking about your new business and you want to get my advice on how to grow your business, how to find a good girl to get married. I said, are you grown? Are you nuts? No, no, Swami knows. I'll give you some nuts, but can you tell me how to find a good girl to get married? If you keep coming to me with those questions, you think I will keep coming here? You can both attract or repel. Because I am not me, I am just energy. This is just a formation of energy. This formation of energy manifests certain characteristics. If those characteristics agree with the characteristics that you cultivate, in your minds and your hearts, now we are Swami Chippati Pandana.

2:05:24Not otherwise. Swami Chippati Pandana, companion, we compatible. That is what Swami Chippati Pandana means, compatible. That is why Swami Chippati Pandana is a virtue of the Mahasanga. Look at the Mahasanga when they live together, they are compatible with each other. Big kuni abas kupasika, they are compatible also. Because they are all as party for the same, nibbana, same goal. In that sense, they are all compatible. That is why you live in, you all live in different households, different houses with walls that separate your property from the next door's property. At the monastery, we don't have walls. We share beds. Today I speak in this bed. Tomorrow someone else takes them back.

2:06:28Because we are compatible. We are compatible to the extent that we are not here for ourselves, we are here for everyone. But I used to live a personal life, a selfish life. In my selfish life, I had a house for myself. And in the next door neighbors, branches over grew into my yard. I had a problem with that. I didn't mind if cutting that branch meant that their tree would die. As long as my property was good, it was alright. Selfish. If when they were building up the next floor, I could, I was about to lose my sight of the horizon. Then I would protest. I can't allow that because I need, I need a good view. That was one of the reasons why I bought my house for the good view. So if someone was going to build a high-rise or built up another floor on top of this, no, I would protest to the council.

2:07:30If not, I would find a lawsuit. Because I was, what? Selfish. Soon to be. I was selfish. The more selfish you become, the more you will get to spend time with selfish people. Robbers spend their time with lives with robbers. These with thieves, burglaries with burglaries, mugglers with mugglers, murderers with murderers. That's the way it is. So if we become a community of un-virtuous individuals, if our pursuits in life are the material pursuits, if we spend start spending our phones in front of TVs, smartphones, social media and whatnot, don't expect the Swami Nohansis to be virtuous and lead you to an environment. Because Rob, this teacher does, he's prepared themselves for whatever the student wants.

2:08:31If you stop wearing shoes and slippers, what's going to happen to all the shops in the city and the town? In the town, sorry, where they sell shoes and slippers. They will shut down. If you all start wearing hats, they will stop selling shoes and start selling hats. If everyone took up smoking, they will close down the parks and then they'll sit up, shops where you can go, so they'll sell a smoking parlour. You can just go and smoke. It's whatever you want, because you are your environment, you are nature. When your mind wants something, what happens to his Germany is nature responds to that, because nature is just energy. Remember, nature is our nature. It has no bias. Nature is dhukka. You create the deficiency and nature comes in, provides you that with that.

2:09:31Then the monks are going to be the same. If you are not serious about Nibbana, if you don't want to aspire to a spiritual liberation, if all you want is your day-to-day existence and weekend Nibbana, not you, you. If you become casual about Buddhism, then Buddhism will become casual. So, if you ask me, whenever you point that one finger outwards, these three are pointing back at you. So, what I see, the other thing to think about here is, those monks, however these monks you think are, like this, let's say, the un-virtuous monks, so you think,

2:10:33they were you before they came to the sasana, no, no one's born among. Not even an un-virtuous person is born among. They're all born lay people. So, then they came into the sasana. So, if people who understand the dhamma, who are serious about Nibbana, don't come into the sasana, then the others should, shouldn't they? Because there are temples that need monks to look after. There are temples that need resident monks because these temples, you know, there are many temples in which they are not a single monk. There are dogs out there. They don't read between the legs. It was a sacred place, the temple.

2:11:34It should be full of people who have come in having understood the dhamma. So, if they were you before they became monks, then whose fault is it that they came in before understanding the dhamma or that they didn't understand the dhamma or that they didn't have the merits to understand the dhamma? It's not the Buddha's fault. It's not the dhamma's fault. It's not the sangha's fault. People just didn't have the merits to understand the dhamma. Whereas when I came into the sasana, I had enough merits to have understood the sasana at least a little bit. I had the merits for that. I didn't come into the sasana looking for an abode or three square meals of my insurance plan. That's not what I came into the sasana for, but that is because I had understood the dhamma and I had merits to understand the dhamma. I had merits to have myself a good teacher. But remember, I was a layman before I became a monk and as a layman I had those merits. So then is it not always the layman's fault?

2:12:35Actually, when you look at it that way, they don't have the merit to understand the dhamma before they come to the sasana. You know, if a child is born with congenial diseases, say, a hole in the heart, whose fault is that people might tend to point them for their finger at the parents and say, we see, because the view of this child was born. It is a karma. The bad karma they had done. So now they are born with that. But that parents never wanted to give birth to a child with a hole in the heart. Parents never expected no intended to give birth to a child with congenial defects, meaning diseases from birth. But that's what happened in the end, isn't it? So even in the sasana, there are parents, the Upadhyanth and the Acharanth.

2:13:38There is the teacher monk and the preceptor monk. This is considered the mother and father in the sasana. You would have seen in the ceremonies that we have at the monastery. After the monks have taken their precepts, they will turn towards the most senior monk in the audience and they go, who padhyayo me bhante ho hi. I request you to be my preceptor monk, and then they turn towards another monk who is their teacher, or who they consider for henceforth to be their teacher, and they say, acharyo me bhante ho hi. Would you be my teacher? But if that monk later goes on to have a hole in the heart in a metaphorical sense, a hole in their spiritual heart, then who's fault is that? The parents.

2:14:38So should they not have been ordained? Is that what you're going to see? We only have twenty-thousandth. We thought without a woman. You know, my imitation to you ladies and gentlemen is this, if you feel, and as I know you do, care and feel so much about the sasana, then you do the sasana. You do the sasana. You let the sasana happen within you. You let help your children do the sasana, and then give them to the sasana. Instead of all of us trying to find faults with the monks and the nuns and whoever's out there for their unvertuousness, why don't we produce virtuous monks then? Your parents, you have children, you can give them to the sasana if you care so much about the sasana. You can come into the sasana if you care so much about the sasana.

2:15:43Why do we point our finger? I'm not speaking specifically about the individual who has a question, but because this is a very general sentiment, and I'm very grateful that the question was raised, because I wouldn't normally speak to you in these terms, I'm glad the question came up, so now I have the liberty to express myself freely. So if we care so much about the sasana, to think about this way, we can say that the politicians are corrupt. And then when we speed on the highways, on the roads, and the police officers stop us, the traffic police officers stop us, what do we try and do? Ah, no one. Now you try to negotiate, but the police officers they are corrupt.

2:16:45Everyone's a philosopher, until the problems there. So what right does an individual have? Does a citizen have to blame the police or any kind of authority? And point a finger at them and say that they are corrupt if when you are the wrong dover, and the law is being enforced on you, you protest, and you seek special favors, and you seek to twist and turn the law to make it more comfortable for you. What right do we have then? The same applies in this context as well, it is in the end. What right do we have to point our fingers at the monks, at the nuns, and tell them that they lead an unbarchious life? I'm not speaking on their side, by the way,

2:17:45what they're doing, they're going to take with them. I mean, if anything, I care more about what's going to happen to them and therefore, I have an opportunity to change any of that. I really do care not for what they're doing, but what's going to happen to them, if they knew the consequences of those actions, that's the last thing they would do. But that's another matter. That's not something I need to talk to this audience. Is it? For that, I had to talk to that audience, but don't ever arrange that. I don't want, I'm not here to change the whole world. I'm not here to set things right. I'm only here for people who are willing to consider me and my teacher, their teachers. But if you bring a bunch of people here, who are not willing to consider me or my teacher, their teacher, then I can't help them. Do you understand what I mean?

2:18:48So the best thing we can do to change this situation, if you don't like it, you begin where? You begin with your science. You be more virtuous. You be dead straight on Nibbana. You be more focused and committed in devoted to Nibbana. Then when you even go to the temple, you'll start talking to your swan, swami nars is in the temple about Nibbana. And then the swami nars start thinking, these devotees, what's happened to them? Those days they only invited me to the Pahans of Gulan, and said, hadda was done, and Thummas done, and once in a while, they would bring an Amsham, Amsh, Amst giving. But now they come and ask for a particular samova, then they will come and ask, ahashwara, then they're talking about this fixation, and they're talking about this jāti and what? Gosh, what's all these questions they have now? So now the swami nars has to either say, sorry, Matthaya, I don't know the answer to those questions, do I ask someone else? Or they're going to have to go and do their study? They have to go and talk to their teachers.

2:19:49As a teacher, my devotees have come to ask me about jāti, about vexation, about pleasure and happiness, and how these two things are not the same. I don't really know how to answer that question. Would you help me please? And then what the teacher's going, what's the teacher going to do? The teacher will say exactly what that monk told you. Either the teacher will say, I don't know the answer, go ahead and ask someone else, or the teacher will have to go and talk to their teacher. See how when you start what is right, you can cause that ripple effect all the way up. And then that lineage of teachers, or so-called teachers, will actually have to learn the dhamma. They will have to seek refuge in the Buddha and dhamma and the Sangha. They will have to study the dhamma so that they can come and teach you at least what's going to happen to them when they start learning the dhamma. They also become the Amishta. Because you can't learn the dhamma and understand it without it making sense

2:20:51to pass it on to someone else. It's like you can't pass someone a handful of water without getting what? Wait, the same applies here. You can't listen to the dhamma, understand it, and pass it on without it having its effect on you. See this is how when you become dhammishta, the whole country becomes dhammishta. That's when your local temple becomes dhammishta. When do you ever come to our monastery and ask non-sense questions from us? Some of us I want to make my next million. How should I do? Some of us I'm going to strike a deal with someone. Can you sign for it as a witness? When do you ever come and ask for those for these things? I'm going to get married. That's the last thing you come and tell us is it it? You might come and tell us that you've got married, but I know you would never come and tell us you're going to get married because you know what's going to happen next.

2:21:51That marriage won't, won't happen. That's what you know. See, you have helped us become who we are, and we have helped you become who you are. This is a beautiful symbiotic relationship. This is the pure, wonderful, mutually rewarding relationship that devotees must have with the monastics. It's what you are doing. Because you are always dedicated and devoted to nibbana, so at least I think. I cannot come here and just talk some nonsense with you. I can't just come and give you the other good news. I can't just come and do some pretty chanting to you and go. That's not why you keep coming here every day. When you listen to a sermon,

2:22:51you have another ten questions about the sermon. I say, I got that part, but I didn't get that part. How does this connect with the previous sermon that you did? How does this make sense when that also made? I don't know, I don't see. Can you help me connect the dots? If I don't have the answer to you, then I must go back and meditate, or talk to my teacher, and try and find the answer. And as I find the answer, the answer becomes obvious first to whom? To me. So if you want to see a change, become that change. That's the only way to do it. Don't get into that bandwagon of right into the Mahanayika Deeras. I don't like the Deeras. Disrobe these rascals. If you are the Armiya, don't do that, Aisman. Don't insult me. Don't insult me by doing that.

2:23:52If someone wishes to do that, then that is the cup of tea, then let them. But don't you jump on that, that is the reason. Because I've taught you better. I think I've taught you better. Don't go protesting around Lipton. Give us better monks. Give us better monks. Disrobe these rascals. Disrobe these rascals. Don't be that. Then you can't call yourself Dharmishta. Dharmishta happens within, not out with. You become Dharmishta within yourself, and the whole world will change. If there are those who are not compatible with your acquired mindset, then they will slowly fade away. And those who are un-virtuous, if there are people like that, they will move away from your life.

2:24:55Because they're not compatible. That is the quality of Samaiji Patipam, compatibility. Samaiji Patipam, Bhagavad-do, Sava, Kassango. See, as the good lady said, ask the Buddha, is a book color. These eightfold disciples of the Buddha are compatible. How compatible? Because they are all good in heart. They're all virtuous. At least they strive to be virtuous. They're always vigilant about their weaknesses, their shortcomings, their shortfalls. Their defilements, and they're constantly working on themselves, not on others first, on themselves first. That is how this asana works. An excellent question, and I hope you have got an answer.

2:25:57Because I'm sure many of you would have had similar questions, if not the same. And you will find yourselves in circles where they talk about these kind of things. And how we have to change this asana. We have to throw them out and important good ones. Let's bring in Made in Japan, Made in Taiwan, Made in Burma, Made in Thailand. These local ones, they're no good. Local ones are you. You are those local ones. Remember, the non of them were born monks. They were all lay people first. Meaning they were you first. They all came into this asana, because they wanted the same thing. They all knelt in front of the Buddha, in front of their teachers and say, said, please, may you be still upon me. The part in it, Bana. That is what they said. That is what they meant.

2:26:57But somewhere down the line, they lost their cause. Why did they lose their cause? Because the people are associating with them, influence them. Therefore, don't go to your monks, your local monks, your local nuns. Don't walk up to them and talk to them about rubbish. Don't take to them your worldly problems and expect worldly solutions. Your bank manager wanted to prove your loan. Don't go to the naikathade of the local temple and say, Apehamdhruv, can you talk to that bank manager Mahatma and get this loan signed off for me, please? Don't do that. Don't go to your naikathade of the local temple and ask him for a job. And get him to ask him to put a word in for you. At the company where you applied, that's not what the Mahasangas here for. I mean, I'm talking even the Paan Sukhula, it's not what the Sanghas here for. So don't send your child to your son to the naikathade of the local temple and ask him to go and ask the naikathade of Apehamdhruv.

2:28:04Apehamdhruv, I'm thinking of a girl. What do you think about her? Shall I ask her out? He's not there to do your poron dam for you. It's very difficult remaining in roadside, I tell you. It's the toughest thing in the world. Because you become an island, surrounded by sharks. You're living on an island surrounded by sharks, man-eating sharks. Everyone wants a piece of you, that's why I said the other day, everyone wants these three things on their phone, their good doctor's phone number, a good lawyer's phone number and a good monk's phone number. Everyone likes to have these three contacts on their phone. A good doctor for when they're feeling ill, sick, a good lawyer, when they get in trouble, and a good monk, when they have something on their mind they want to, you know,

2:29:04just went off. Or they want to know what the stars are going to work, whether in their favour or not. The Swami knows it's not an astrologer. Don't use them for that. Don't even go up to them and ask them for medicines for your physical illnesses. Swami knows my back hurts, my head hurts, my neck hurts, my arm hurts, my leg hurts, my desserts, my that hurts. Do you have some medicine? Go to the doctor for that. But when your mind hurts, now go to the Swami knows, because that's what he's there for. Every other use is not use, it's abuse. This is what happens in the end. See, we've been doing this for so long now, for far too long, now it's too little too late, to do anything to change the system. This is what happened. We did this to ourselves.

2:30:05We've done this to ourselves, right now, we spoiled the holiness of the community, the monastic order. We spoiled it. We ruined it. We desecrated it. Because you threw your rubbish at it, you threw your garbage into it, and expected the Swami's mercy to do miracles with your problems. That is not how you should have used the Sangha. That's why this is any way around. You can't do it. Remember that important lesson? Why when I stood outside the art of pedicure shop, nothing was offered. That speaks volumes about what has happened to our country, about this community. Nothing was offered. Because they must have assumed here's another trade-out. Well, in that, outside,

2:31:05he's come here for my money. And see what they lost out an opportunity to be among you one day. That's what they lost out. When will they get that chance again? When might the Swami not cross that street again? Maybe never. You can't get from the sarsana until you give to the sarsana. Because the sarsana is not the sarsana, the sarsana is the universe. It's where everyone comes to become one with the universe. Yes or no? The sarsana is where everyone comes to become one with the universe. So when you give to the universe, it's when the universe gives back to you. That's why I say, I am today not the slightest beast of embarrassedness in the gentleman. Coming from someone who used to be so embarrassed, I wouldn't even, even dream of asking from something from someone today, I have no embarrassment at all to invite you

2:32:08to give you the privilege of doing what you can for the sarsana. Give you everything to the sarsana, I tell you. Take it from someone who's already done that. Look at what I have given to the sarsana, my everything. That is why fearlessly I can speak to you like this. Nothing reserved. Nothing left, my sustenance I've given to the sarsana, my Peace of Mind, I have given to the sarsana, my Body has given to the sarsana, my Life I have given to the sarsana, my Energy I've given to the sarsana, my Time I've given to the sarsana, name one thing I have not given to the sarsana. That's how much I believe in the sarsana, it deserves My everything because I deserve everything from the sarsana. That's my belief. If I feel I deserve everything from the sarsana, I must be the first to give everything I have to this person, what you give is what you get.

2:33:11This person is not my plus one, it is my only one. Once again, thank you for the question. So that's that Pandora's box. Time isn't it? One lady in the audience as I expected. I made a request a moment ago, why can't we come and offer arms at Mata Goliath? I know she meant all of you. This Pindapatha, as much as it is of benefit to you, is also for the benefit for people who are yet to become like you. So I'll tell you what you can do. For people who live in and around this area, Mata Goliath, Kotta, Homa, Panjit here, that area,

2:34:18you will have friends who live there, maybe you have businesses or you have colleagues who work there, just give them a message. Just tell them, there are Swami Narancis who are going to be regularly coming on Pindapatha. But there's no saying which part we will pick one day versus the next. Because Pindapatha is not something you advertise and do in advance. That is the tradition. You can get up. But what you can do is you can let them know. For if they ever see Swami Narancis on Pindapatha, whether it is our monks or any other monks, particularly if they are monks in, you can show them a picture. So if they come, you know, these ropes for instance, then you can make use of that opportunity to offer them some arms. And then you can tell them the merit of doing that so that they can, they will not only offer something but they will offer it with a whole heart.

2:35:23They will offer it with a lot of rejoicing, with a lot of gratitude, a lot of respect. And they will be able to earn tremendous amounts of merit from that day itself. Because our parts may never meet again, they may never cross again. So when that opportunity strikes, have them prepared for that. That is what you can do. So you can be noble friends in that way. Talk to them. You can call them. Because it will be happening now regularly. Those days we had a team there, the resident workers who used to cook our meals. But now they have left giving us monks the opportunity for when we visit the retreat center to travel out of Pindapatha. And usually we go out into the towns as opposed to the local locals. Because the other you can't do it every day, it will become a problem to them. And secondly, they are not at home on the weekdays.

2:36:24So except for Monday and Tuesday, all other days of the week, Swami Narayana says to be going out of Pindapatha, typically around that area. So I'm not asking you to publish Facebook posts or put on WhatsApp. That's not what I've asked you to do, only do what I've asked you to do. In the spirit of giving them the gift of Nibbana, talk to your friends, talk to your colleagues, who people who will leave their work around there and tell them, if you ever spot a Swami Narayana, say, with an arms bowl going on Pindapatha, make use of that gold and opportunity. Go and offer them what you have brought in that day as your own meal. There are people who do that, it's a very beautiful sightless meal. Some people just haven't got anything to offer. One place that I remember, just very briefly, it was a jewelry store. So they had no food, of course. And the gentleman came out with some money, as you'd expect.

2:37:26I said, man, there, we don't need money, I have no use for money. I just want something to eat for my meat, damn meal. Then he said, I have nothing to offer you, Swami Narayana. I said, maybe you have some water, could you just pour some water into the arms bowl? Because I want to give you the chance to earn some merits. So he quickly ran back into the shop. But he took a bit longer than he would do to get some water, but we were waiting outside. Like I said, once I make a pledge, I have to remain there. Until he comes back and shows me off, or offers something. So then I was standing outside and then he came back with a bottle of water and his lunch. So he came out and said, Swami Narayana, this is what I have, I only have my lunch. Is it okay for me to offer this to you? Because you thought, I hadn't prepared this, especially for the Mahasanga, because you know how you are when you do an arms. You know, you don't make it for you, you make it the best you possibly can.

2:38:30So that is not how he would have cooked it. He just casually put something together for his lunch. He said, is it okay for me to offer this? Is it of course? Please lower head. So then he offered it and then the water. Or you can pour a little bit of it, but in the food, it's okay, sir. This is how we take our meat. So with shaking hands, he poured some water into it. Because he couldn't bring himself up to put water into the same arms bowl in which they were solid food. But he came down, he understood what we were, why I was inviting him to partaking that militaries deed. And then I could see the gratitude that was, he was just an overflowing gratitude. I don't think he's ever offered peanut butter to a monk before. He was on his knees and putting his forehead on our feet expressing such tremendous gratitude for the opportunity. The thing is not everyone understands that. Not everyone sees it that way. But you can help make a small change, little difference in the world that you're living.

2:39:33This will be a great service to your community ladies and gentlemen. A great service to your community. You can serve your community not only by going to work Monday to Friday. You can do much, much, much more by putting a little bit of love, compassion, a little bit of gratitude about the sanger into people's hearts. This is Sri Lanka for a reason. That is all taken over then. To transfer the medicine that we have all acquired today, by making offerings to the infinite virtues of the Mahasangar, first and foremost we have transferred these medicine to the Bikus and Bikuni's Upasaka's, who have since tried immemorial, protected and preserved the sublime teachings of the Buddha. And have passed down the teachings of the Buddha in the form of the Sri Pitya, which is available to us today to study and understand and comprehend the Dharma. There is also transfers these medicines to the Mahanayaka, there is the Anonayaka, there is the Valkyptas,

2:40:35who sacrificed and devoted their lives to protect and fulfil the sarsana. There is also transfers these medicines to our local monks and non-restraint in your local temples and nunneries who have always been by your side through a thick and thin kamray no shine. There is transfer these medicines to my Tita Guru Swam in Wahansai, as well as all the monks who are into the monastery and the Anonayaka, because the Anonayaka are actually the monastery. There is also transfer these medicines to friends of our monastery. This is all of you who for the sake of merits to help you attain the supreme bliss of Midbhana, who provide the Mahasangavishelt, arms, ropes and medicines, as well as those who pass on your know-how and continue to extend your well-wishes. May they all rejoice in these merits. There is also transfer these medicines to our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces. Our friends are acquaintances, our employees and our employees. As well as anyone and everyone who helped us support us and assisted us in any way, shape or form. May they all rejoice in these merits and by the power of these merits. May they be healed of any physical and mental ailments

2:41:35and all coming obstacles to their spiritual progress. May they abstain from the unmethodious deeds, for for the methodious deeds, for for the noble eightfold path, and may they all attain the supreme bliss of Midbhana, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul. There is also a trek moment, transfer these merits to the Sakkadeva, as well as all the numerous gods and deities. We have come to themself to fulfill and preserve the samadhi sarsana. There is transfer these merits to our guardian deities who keep our watchful lie-overs and keep the satire of arms way. May they prosper in divine power and wisdom. May they abstain from the unmethodious deeds, for for the methodious deeds, for for the noble eightfold path, and may they all attain the supreme bliss of Midbhana, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul. There is also a transfer these merits to our forefathers, our ancestors, those who passed away now name. Reminding ourselves that it is in their blood, but in tears, today we are able to enjoy the comforts of life, as we do when practice the path in peace and harmony. There is also a transfer these merits to the members of the armed forces, as well as the police force, who sacrificed their lives to break the peace and harmony of our nation.

2:42:36There is also a transfer these merits to those who lost their lives and the woes be their friend of foe, as well as those who lost their lives in natural disasters and calamities such as as tsunamis and earthquakes, landslides, fires, floods, pandemics and so on. Reminding ourselves that in this infinite long journey of Sardarul, they will all have been parents to us, siblings to us, friends to us, and have supported us, and will have supported us and assisted us in many ways, in shapes and forms. And therefore, with an abundance of compassion, loving kindness, and a sense of gratitude for all that they have done for us, that has transferred these merits to all of them, made by the power of these merits, if any of them have been born in the woeful place, they redeemed themselves and be born with blissful playing. May they abstain from the unmetadores deeds, forphidometories deeds, forphidinobladevallapath, and may they all attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul. And finally, may by the power and blessings of all, there may be a quite throughout the day. We will be able to witness the advent of many hundreds of thousands of Arahants on this blessed land. And may you and I, and everyone who has helped make this program a success, become a Rahatan Wahansai, or a Nara-Hathiran in Wahansai, in this very life itself and the era of this re-sambu desaasana itself.

2:43:40Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul, may the blessings of the noble tripage be with you all. And Mahasanga will transfer the blessings to you. Mahumaginne, Mitetna, Nibbana, Parama, Sukhain, Sukhita, Tara, Vettna, Nibbana, Parama, Sukhain, Sukhita, Tara, Vettna, Nibbana, Parama, Sukhain,

2:44:51Sukhita, Tara, Vettna, Nibbana, Parama, Sukhain, Sukhita, Tara, Vettna, Nibbana, Parama, Sukhain, Sukhita, Tara, Vettna, Nibbana, Ravana, Nibbana, Dejaginne, Nibbana, Mughal, Nibbana, Nibbana, Sardarul, Nibbana, Nibbana, Sardarul, Nibbana,

2:46:01Tunduangi, Suvisiyanant, Mahabuna, Belen, Silu, Lok, Silu, Sardarul, Nibbana, Parama, Sukhain, Sukhita, Tara, Vettna, Sardarul, Sardarul, Sardarul, Nibbana,