The Supreme Method

OK. The supreme method is to be natural. So again, as we were dealing before with the mind, leaving the mind as it is, sometimes when people come, they join the spiritual clubs, spiritual centers, then they read all these texts which are designed for high-level bodhisattvas. And they think, all right, this is how a spiritual person acts. And so everybody's ever so nice.

So a teacher is saying, be natural. Don't pretend. Of course, we are trying to be more kind, more mindful. Of course, we are trying to uproot our negative qualities and replace them with positive ones. Of course, we are trying to improve.

Of course, we are trying to tame our mind, transform it, and transcend it. But at the same time, we are all on the path. And so it's important to be genuine, to be natural, not to be playing a role of the spiritual aspirant. This is especially true for people who join the order and become monks and nuns, because they're wearing the robes of monks and nuns, and people assume that they're highly advanced, haha. And many of them assume themselves, especially Westerners, that once they get ordained, somehow everything's going to change.

And they're going to be like little arahats. And then they discover the next morning when they wake up, whoops, mind is just the same. I say sometimes for mind nuns, the mind doesn't shave its head and put on robes. The mind is just a mind. And so again, yes, you're representing Buddha Dhammasanga, so there's a certain rule of conduct which has to be observed, but at the same time, not to pretend to be who you're not.

And for all of us, this is true. We shouldn't pretend like you're acting a role. We should be who we are. And at the same time, of course, trying to develop and cultivate the goodness within us and uproot the negative within us. Of course, we are striving on that level, but at the same time, to do it naturally and without trying to pretend to be what we're not.

This is very important, I think, for all of us just to be who we are and not pretend. And that gives also an inner relaxation because you don't have to worry about, you know, that sometimes the mask is going to slip and people are going to see who you really are. Mm-hmm. So just be. Just be.

And yes, we are trying to observe the mind. Yes, we are trying to cultivate good qualities and eradicate negative qualities slowly, slowly, slowly. But meantime, here we are.